In an unfortunate incident of friendly fire, three US F-15 fighter jets were downed by Kuwaiti air defenses, according to a statement from the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) released early Monday.
Fortunately, all six crew members aboard the aircraft managed to eject safely and are reported to be 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,” stated CENTCOM, headquartered in Tampa, Florida.
The dramatic crashes, caught on video, were reported shortly after a suspected drone attack by Iran targeted the US Embassy compound in Kuwait City. Prior to the incident, the embassy had issued a stern advisory urging Americans to remain indoors, seek shelter, and avoid the embassy premises.
Although fire and smoke were visible rising from the embassy compound, there were no immediate reports of casualties.
Kuwait has found itself in the crosshairs of Iran’s missile and drone assaults, similar to other nations in the Persian Gulf. These actions are seen as Tehran’s attempt to pressure the US and Israel to cease their campaign, which has resulted in the deaths of dozens of high-ranking Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Over the weekend, three American soldiers deployed to Kuwait as part of a unit that oversees supplies and logistics were killed in an Iranian attack, the first casualties of what the Pentagon has dubbed Operation Epic Fury.
CENTCOM said it would withhold the identities of service members who were killed until 24 hours after their families were notified.
Other retaliatory attacks by Iran have hit US bases in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain — the last of which is home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet.
Tehran has also targeted the oil infrastructure of other nations.
Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura oil refinery came under a drone attack on Monday, with defenses downing the incoming aircraft, a military spokesman told the state-run Saudi Press Agency.
Online videos from the site appeared to show thick, black smoke rising after the attack. Even successfully intercepted drones cause debris that can spark fires and injure those on the ground.
Ras Tanura, near the city of Dammam in eastern Saudi Arabia, is one of the world’s largest with a capacity of over half a million barrels of crude oil a day. It was temporarily shut down as a precaution after the attack, Saudi state television reported.
Earlier in the day, debris fell on Kuwait’s Ahmadi oil refinery, injuring two workers, after drones were shot down, the state-run KUNA news agency reported.
With Post wires
