KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait — The United States military has confirmed that three US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets were downed over Kuwait on Monday in what it described as an “apparent friendly fire” incident, marking the first known loss of American aircraft in the ongoing conflict against Iran.
The aircraft were flying in support of Operation Epic Fury, Washington’s designation for its military campaign against Iranian forces and infrastructure.
All six crew members, pilots and weapon system officers, successfully ejected and have been recovered in stable condition, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement.
Early footage verified by multiple outlets showed at least one jet trailing smoke before it fell to the ground north of Kuwait City.
Kuwaiti authorities earlier reported that “several” US aircraft had crashed, and search and rescue operations were launched immediately.
What happened?
CENTCOM said the three jets were mistakenly engaged by Kuwaiti air defence systems during active combat operations that included threats from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones.
Initial coordination with allied air defence networks was reportedly overwhelmed by the intensity of the air and missile activity.
Officials have launched an investigation into the circumstances of the incident, which underscores the challenges of managing complex airspace during high-tempo military operations.
The jets were operating alongside a broader US-Israeli aerial campaign aimed at degrading Iran’s military capabilities following Tehran’s retaliatory strikes against American and allied assets in the Gulf region.
The incident comes amid a significant escalation in the Iran–US–Israel conflict, which began with coordinated strikes by the United States and Israel against Iranian targets, including senior leadership and strategic military infrastructure. Iran responded with mass drone and missile attacks across the Gulf.
Earlier in the campaign, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Iranian ballistic missile launches had been intercepted by defence systems in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE. These regional tensions have disrupted international aviation and energy markets.
In parallel with the loss of jets in Kuwait, US Central Command also acknowledged combat casualties among ground forces, with three service members killed and five seriously wounded during the first days of Operation Epic Fury, the first confirmed American military deaths in the conflict.
Military and diplomatic reactions
US military officials said they are working closely with Kuwaiti defence authorities to assess what went wrong and to prevent similar incidents.
Kuwait’s government, an important US ally, issued strong support for the rescue and recovery efforts and pledged cooperation in the investigation.
The US Department of Defense expressed appreciation for Kuwait’s prompt search-and-rescue response and underscored that the mistake occurred in the “fog of war” as air defence systems responded to a complex multi-directional threat environment.
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The incident has raised questions in military and diplomatic circles about the strain on allied command-and-control systems in an increasingly volatile Gulf theatre.
The loss of aircraft due to friendly fire, while rare in modern air warfare, highlights the risks of operating large combined air operations under fast-evolving threat conditions.
Similar events have occurred historically, such as the 1994 Black Hawk shootdown over Iraq, underscoring how misidentification by allied defence systems can have serious consequences.
Analysts say the episode may prompt reviews of allied air defence protocols and improved identification friend-or-foe (IFF) integration among US and Gulf partner forces.
