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By Frances Mao and Ellie Cook
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Several U.S. fighter jets have crashed in Kuwait after being mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defense during operations against an Iranian attack, U.S. authorities said.
U.S. military forces in the Middle East said the three F-15E jets went down in "friendly fire" during a combat operation against Iranian aircraft, missiles and drones.
All six crew on board were ejected safely and are in a stable condition, U.S. and Kuwaiti authorities said. The incident is under investigation.
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"Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defense forces and their support in this ongoing operation," the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement.
Video circulating widely on Monday captured the moment one of the F-15 jets spiraled toward the ground near Kuwait City, flames engulfing part of the aircraft. A separate clip appears to show at least two pilots in mid-air with parachutes deployed.
In a separate incident on Monday, blasts and heavy smoke were reported near the U.S. Embassy compound in Kuwait City, with emergency services thought to be in the area. U.S. authorities are yet to issue comment on the reported incident but embassy personnel are sheltering in place with U.S. citizens advised to do the same.
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The incidents come as Iran renewed strikes aimed at U.S. military installations and U.S.-aligned countries across the Middle East, while Israel launched an offensive targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon on Monday, killing at least 31 people.
Kuwait said it had intercepted hostile drones on Monday, in the third day of retaliatory strikes from Iran.
Earlier, Iranian state media had carried reports in which an Iranian military base claimed responsibility for shooting down a U.S. F-15 near Kuwait's border.
'Extraordinary' Incident
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The downing of the three F-15s is "an extraordinary event," said Greg Bagwell, a former senior commander in the U.K.'s Royal Air Force. While not the first miscalculated friendly fire incident — and likely not the last — it is "incredible" that Kuwait's air defenses shot down three advanced American warplanes, Bagwell said.
It's not clear which type of air defense system is responsible. But Kuwait's military is closely integrated with U.S. forces, and operates American-made equipment like the vaunted Patriot missile defense system.
The U.S. has said F-15 aircraft have been involved in U.S. operations in the Middle East since Saturday. F-15 Strike Eagles are fighter jets that can be used in air-to-air missions, or for striking targets on the ground.
They would typically be used in this strike capacity, but they have a "credible" air defense capability, too, Bagwell told Newsweek.
Fourth U.S. Service Member Killed in Operation Epic Fury
Since the start of joint Israeli-U.S. operations against Iran, dubbed Operation Epic Fury by the U.S., drones and missiles have hit Israel, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Oman, while two drones were intercepted over a U.K. military base in Cyprus on Monday.
Local officials in Iran said more than 500 people have been killed since Saturday, when strikes took out Iran's long-time Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and a slew of senior political and military leaders gathered in Tehran.
U.S. President Donald Trump has called for regime change in the country and urged the Iranian people to rise up against the authorities that have in recent months clamped down on anti-government protests. Estimates of the death toll in Iran since late December vary wildly between several thousand to upward of 32,000 people killed.
Iran vowed it would target U.S. military bases in the region ahead of the U.S. and Israeli attack on Tehran. Its strikes or the debris from them have also hit civilian and commercial locations like airports and hotels in U.S.-allied Gulf cities, including a luxury hotel in Dubai.
Four U.S. service personnel have been killed in combat since Saturday, CENTCOM confirmed on Monday. Few details have been publicly released about the U.S. service members, but the U.S. military said the fourth person to be killed had been gravely injured in earlier Iranian attacks.
Trump has warned that more U.S. troop killings could take place and promised to avenge their deaths.
Full Statement from US Central Command
"At 11:03 p.m. ET, March 1, three U.S. F-15E Strike Eagles flying in support of Operation Epic Fury went down over Kuwait due to an apparent friendly fire 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.
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.
The cause of the incident is under investigation. Additional information will be released as it becomes available."
Update 3/2/2026 at 9:05 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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