The U.S. military confirmed Monday morning that three F-15E Strike Eagles were shot down over Kuwait in what officials described as an “apparent friendly fire incident.”
U.S. Central Command said that the fighter jets, which were flying support roles, were mistakenly shot down at approximately 11:03 p.m. local time on Sunday. No American service members were killed in the incident.
“During active combat – that included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones — the U.S. Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses,” Central Command said Monday. “All six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition. Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defense forces and their support in this ongoing operation.”
Central Command added that the incident is still under investigation and more information would be released.
The confirmation from the U.S. military came after Kuwait’s Ministry of Defense said that “several” American aircraft had crashed. Search and rescue teams were immediately deployed, evacuating the crews to a hospital for evaluation and medical care.
Kuwaiti authorities said they coordinated directly with U.S. forces regarding the circumstances of the incident and have launched a joint technical investigation to determine the cause.
Videos circulating on social media appear to show an F-15 pilot being assisted by residents following one of the crashes.
Since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran over the weekend, four American service members have been killed in action. Three were killed during an Iranian strike on Kuwait, and the fourth later died from injuries sustained during that same attack.
Trump said on Sunday that it was “likely” more American troops would be killed in action as the operations against Iran continue.
“As one nation, we grieve for the true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, even as we continue the righteous mission for which they gave their lives,” Trump said. “We pray for the full recovery of the wounded and send our immense love and eternal gratitude to the families of the fallen. And sadly, there will likely be more before it ends. That’s the way it is.”
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