Three U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses over Kuwait early Monday amid intense regional fighting with Iran, U.S. Central Command said. All six crew members ejected, were recovered and are in stable condition, according to Centcom.
The incident unfolded during “active combat” that included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones, Centcom said in a statement. Kuwait has acknowledged the shootdown as an apparent friendly-fire mistake and launched an investigation.
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Centcom said the downing occurred at 11:03 p.m. ET on Sunday and involved three F-15E Strike Eagles, a dual-role fighter designed for air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. Video circulating on social media showed a jet falling from the sky with a parachute visible; Reuters verified the location as the Al Jahra area of Kuwait. Another clip appeared to show a downed airman, still in a flight suit, being driven by civilians who said they were helping him.
Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, addressed the loss only briefly at a Pentagon briefing. “I am aware of the loss of three U.S. Air Force F-15Es overnight in the region. I am grateful for the safety of the crews, and we know that this was not from hostile enemy fire,” he said, declining further comment while the probe is underway. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not mention the episode in his remarks.
Iran’s state media, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported that Iranian forces claimed responsibility for downing a U.S. aircraft that crashed in Kuwait, Reuters said. The assertion directly contradicts the U.S. account and underscores the fog of war as the conflict widens.
The friendly-fire incident came on the third day of a rapidly expanding confrontation that began Saturday, when President Donald Trump ordered U.S. strikes on Iran in an air campaign the White House labeled Operation Epic Fury, carried out alongside Israel. Trump acted without seeking congressional authorization.
Iran retaliated by firing waves of missiles and drones across the Middle East, some striking civilian areas including hotels and residences, according to regional authorities. Tehran also targeted military facilities used by the United States and its partners, including a drone attack on RAF Akrotiri, the British base in Cyprus.
U.S. Central Command on Sunday confirmed three American service members had been killed and five wounded since the fighting began; officials on Monday raised the death toll to four.
Before news of the U.S. jets emerged, Kuwait issued a statement condemning what it called “indiscriminate and reckless attacks with missiles and drones against sovereign territories across the region.” It added: “Iran’s actions represent a dangerous escalation that violates the sovereignty of multiple states and threatens regional stability. Targeting civilians and non-combatant states is reckless behavior that undermines stability.”
Regional disruption spread to aviation and commerce. Turkey’s transport ministry said it suspended all flights from the country to Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, adding to thousands of cancellations worldwide and stranding large numbers of passengers.
In a separate development Monday, smoke was seen rising from the vicinity of the U.S. Embassy compound in Kuwait City, with fire trucks and ambulances on site, a witness told Reuters. The cause was not immediately clear.
According to a Barron’s profile, the F-15 is a twin-engine, fourth-generation fighter originally developed by McDonnell Douglas in the 1970s to secure air superiority. The “E” variant is a two-seat, dual-role model capable of precision strike as well as air combat.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
Tuesday March 3, 2026
