Did Kuwait Shot Down America's F-15E Strike Eagles Aircraft? Here's What US Says

The United States military on Monday said that three American F-15E Strike Eagles were “mistakenly shot down” by Kuwaiti air defences during a combat mission, amid Iranian attacks involving missiles, drones and aircraft.

According to the United States Central Command, the incident occurred after Iran launched attacks that included ballistic missiles, drones and aircraft.

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In a statement, the US military said, “The US Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defences.” 

"All six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition.” 

The statement further stated that Kuwait has acknowledged the incident and noted appreciation for “the efforts of the Kuwaiti defence forces and their support in this ongoing operation.”

In a separate statement issued on X, CENTCOM said that, “three US F-15E Strike Eagles flying in support of Operation Epic Fury went down over Kuwait due to an apparent friendly fire incident.” 

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Reiterating the condition of the crew, the statement said, “All six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition.”

“The cause of the incident is under investigation. Additional information will be released as it becomes available,” the statement said.

At 11:03 p.m. ET, March 1, 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.

Read more:https://t.co/i2y3Q3vo2E

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 2, 2026 Videos purportedly showing one of the jets crashing have been circulating on social media following the incident.

The crash of an American plane in Kuwait. pic.twitter.com/yqmv8UlAmH

— Fayaj Khan (@FayajKh38711083) March 2, 2026

The Kuwaiti Army in an ‘X' post confirmed that a US military aircraft had crashed. 

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In its statement issued on ‘X' , the Kuwaiti Army said, “The relevant authorities immediately initiated search and rescue procedures, whereby the crews were evacuated and transferred to the hospital to check on their health status and provide the necessary medical care, noting that their condition is stable.”

The official spokesperson from the Kuwaiti Army  added that direct coordination was carried out with US forces regarding the circumstances surrounding the incident. 

بيان رقم 7

صرّح الناطق الرسمي باسم وزارة الدفاع بأنه في صباح هذا اليوم سقطت عدد من الطائرات الحربية الأمريكية، مؤكداً نجاة أطقمها بالكامل.

وأوضح أن الجهات المختصة باشرت فوراً إجراءات البحث والإنقاذ، حيث تم إخلاء الأطقم ونقلهم إلى المستشفى للاطمئنان على حالتهم الصحية وتقديم… pic.twitter.com/HYX3LGqEX1

— KUWAIT ARMY - الجيش الكويتي (@KuwaitArmyGHQ) March 2, 2026

He said that joint technical measures had been taken and that the concerned authorities are continuing investigations to determine the causes. The statement also called for information to be obtained only from official sources.

The F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter jet designed for air superiority by the US Air Force. Introduced in 1976, the aircraft has an undefeated air-to-air combat record of 104–0 as of 2026.

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