On Monday, a mishap involving “friendly fire” led to the crash of three U.S. fighter jets over Kuwait, according to a statement from the U.S. military.
The incident occurred when Kuwaiti air defense systems mistakenly targeted and brought down the F-15E Strike Eagle jets. Fortunately, all six crew members managed to eject safely, as reported by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
An investigation is currently underway to determine the exact cause of the incident. The jets were part of Operation Epic Fury, a military campaign supporting actions against Iran.
“The crew members were promptly evacuated from the crash sites and taken to a hospital for medical evaluation and necessary treatment,” a CENTCOM spokesperson stated.
According to the latest updates, the crew members are in “stable” condition.
In the aftermath, Kuwaiti authorities are working in “direct coordination” with U.S. officials to address the situation, as confirmed by Al-Atwan.
One video geolocated by CNN shows a fighter jet crashing over Kuwait near a US air base. The video shows a jet on fire and falling in a tailspin out of the sky, and it suggests the jet came down within 10 kilometres of the US Ali Al Salem base in Kuwait.
Other videos geolocated by CNN appear to show a fighter jet pilot on the ground in Kuwait after ejecting from an aircraft.
In one of the videos, a man in a full flight suit and helmet can be seen kneeling on the ground next to an orange and white parachute and a parachute cord in a desert area near a fence line.
CNN has geolocated the video about 30 kilometres from the Ali Al Salem base.
In another video, the pilot is seen standing up as bystanders look on, with thick black smoke billowing in the distant background.
The crashes come during heavy bombardment on Gulf nations as part of an expanding war with Iran. It also comes as smoke has been seen over the area surrounding the US Embassy in Kuwait.
It is notable when US fighter jets crash overseas and often triggers an investigation.
In 2024, a US ship “mistakenly fired” upon a F/A-18 operating from the USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea. The incident was investigated, and the two Navy pilots ejected safely.
The US military has a significant number of military assets in the region, deployed in the weeks leading up to the joint US-Israeli military operation that kicked off on Saturday. A list put out by CENTCOM on Sunday showing the assets employed thus far included F-18s, F-16s, F-22s, F-35s, A-10 attack aircraft, MQ-9 Reaper drones, refuelling aircraft, counter-drone systems, Navy aircraft carriers and guided-missile destroyers.
More than 1000 targets have been struck, the CENTCOM release on Sunday said, adding that the military is focusing on military targets like command and control centers, Iranian Navy ships and submarines, Islamic Revolutionary Guard corps headquarters and more.
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