The US military on Monday said the three F-15 fighter jets that crashed in Kuwait earlier today were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defences during active combat. It said that all six crew members ejected safely and are in a stable condition.
“At 11:03 pm ET, March 1, three US F-15E Strike Eagles flying in support of Operation Epic Fury went down over Kuwait due to an apparent friendly fire incident. During active combat—that included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones — the US Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defences," the US Central Command said in a statement.
“All six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition. Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defence forces and their support in this ongoing operation," it added.
This came after the Kuwaiti Defence Ministry said several American warplanes crashed in Kuwait, but their pilots successfully ejected, as Iran pressed on with a third day of strikes in the Gulf.
“Several US warplanes crashed this morning. Confirming that all crew members survived," a defence ministry spokesman said in a statement, adding that the cause was under investigation. “Authorities immediately initiated search and rescue operations, evacuating the crews and transporting them to a hospital for medical evaluation and treatment. He noted that their condition is stable," the statement added.
