Three U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles were shot down late Sunday over Kuwait in what U.S. officials described as “an apparent friendly fire incident,” according to a statement from U.S. Central Command. The aircraft were operating in support of Operation Epic Fury when they went down at about 11:03 p.m. Eastern time.
“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,” the command said.
All six aircrew members ejected and were recovered, officials said. CENTCOM said crew members “ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition.”
Kuwait has acknowledged the incident and U.S. officials expressed appreciation for the country’s defense forces as they provided support during recovery efforts. Kuwait’s defense ministry said rescue teams transported the aircrews to hospitals and were coordinating with U.S. authorities.
The incident occurred amid regional hostilities involving Iran and U.S. and allied forces. CENTCOM said the cause of the shootdown remains under investigation and that additional information will be released as it becomes available.
Additional reports Monday indicated a drone strike impacted the U.S. Embassy compound in Kuwait, with no immediate reports of casualties.
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