Three F-15 U.S. jets, similar to this one shown in England in January, were shot down over Kuwait during “an apparent friendly fire incident,” the U.S. military’s Central Command said in a statement Monday. All six crew members ejected and were recovered in stable in condition. Dan Kitwood Getty Images
Three U.S. jets were shot down over Kuwait during “an apparent friendly fire incident” while they were taking part in the campaign against Iran, the U.S. military’s Central Command said in a statement Monday.
“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 statement said.
All six crew members “ejected safely, have been safely recovered and are in stable condition,” Central Command added, extending its gratitude to Kuwait for participating in the operation against Iran.
The incident took place as Iran has targeted U.S. assets throughout the Persian Gulf in retaliation for the U.S.-Israeli military campaign that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday. Several U.S. bases and facilities in the region have been attacked, prompting the militaries of Persian Gulf States to mobilize air defenses in an effort to deter strikes.
In a separate statement, Kuwait’s Defense Ministry said that a number of U.S. military aircraft had crashed early Monday and that rescue teams had evacuated the crew members to a hospital. Kuwaiti authorities said they were coordinating with U.S. forces to investigate the incident.
Footage posted to social media, and verified by its location in Al Jahra in Kuwait, appeared to show the crash of a fighter jet. In multiple videos, the plane is seen spiraling down as smoke billows from its back end.
Also on Monday, a drone attack struck the U.S. Embassy compound in Kuwait, according to two U.S. officials who spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. The source of the drone was not immediately clear.
In video from the scene in Kuwait verified by The New York Times, smoke is seen in an area surrounding the U.S. Embassy complex. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
U.S. officials did not immediately return a request for comment on the incident.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
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