Three U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles were mistakenly shot down over Kuwait by Kuwaiti air defenses during active combat operations that included Iranian attacks, U.S. Central Command said, as video circulating online showed a warplane falling over the Al Jahra area and a pilot parachuting to safety.
The six air crew members ejected and survived, CENTCOM said. The incident unfolded amid escalating regional hostilities following Iranian strikes, according to the command.
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“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,” CENTCOM said in a statement. “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 defences. All six air crew ejected and were safe.”
Short video clips posted to social media on Monday appeared to capture a military aircraft descending over Al Jahra and a separate image of a single parachute. Axadle Times could not immediately verify the footage, its timing or its location.
Kuwait has acknowledged the incident and worked alongside U.S. forces to recover the crew, authorities said in a statement carried by the state news agency. CENTCOM added, “We are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defence forces and their support in this ongoing operation.”
The competing accounts highlighted the confusion surrounding fast-moving military operations. Iran’s state media, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported that Iranian armed forces had hit a U.S. plane that crashed in Kuwait — a claim at odds with the U.S. military’s description of a friendly-fire shootdown by Kuwait. Neither side provided evidence to immediately substantiate their assertions.
The loss of three fighter jets in a single episode is rare and underscores the risks of operating multiple forces in contested airspace, particularly when air defenses are on high alert. CENTCOM’s description of a battlespace featuring Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones points to an unusually complex and hazardous environment.
Operation Epic Fury was the mission cited by CENTCOM as the context for the F-15Es’ presence over Kuwait. The command did not detail the objective of that operation or specify where the aircraft were flying from prior to the incident.
It was not immediately clear where the aircraft crashed, whether debris was contained or if any damage occurred on the ground. U.S. and Kuwaiti officials did not release timelines for further updates.
This is a developing story. Details may change as more information becomes available.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
