Three US F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets were shot down over Kuwait early Monday in what US Central Command described as a friendly fire incident, but all six crew members made it out safely and are in stable condition.US Central Command said in a statement: “At 11.03 pm EDT, on March 1, three US F-15E Strike Eagles flying in support of Operation Epic Fury went down over Kuwait due to an apparent friendly fire incident.”“All six crew members were safely extricated, recovered safely, and are in stable condition. Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts and support of the Kuwait Defense Forces in this ongoing operation.
The cause of the accident is currently being investigated. Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.”The Kuwaiti Ministry of Defense said that the crews were evacuated and taken to the hospital and confirmed that the response was carried out in coordination with American forces, Reuters reported.The incident occurred amid active fighting in the region, which included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones, marking the third straight day of Iranian retaliatory strikes on neighboring Gulf states following US and Israeli attacks on Iran.
Kuwait also intercepted enemy drones earlier on Monday.In a separate incident, a witness told Reuters that smoke was seen rising from the vicinity of the US embassy complex in Kuwait City, with fire engines and ambulances deployed. There was no immediate response to requests for comment from the US Embassy or the US State Department regarding the embassy incident.Iranian state media, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, claimed that Iranian forces struck a US plane that crashed in Kuwait. Multiple video clips are circulating on social media, showing a military plane crashing in the Jahra area, and a person was seen descending by parachute in the same frame.The friendly fire incident reflects the complex and volatile situation in the Gulf amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran.
