The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed Monday that Kuwait mistakenly shot down three American fighter jets during ongoing military operations in the Middle East.
According to CENTCOM, at 11:03 p.m. ET on March 1, three F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft flying in support of Operation Epic Fury went down over Kuwait due to an apparent friendly fire incident.
During what officials described as active combat conditions – involving Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones – the U.S. Air Force jets were mistakenly targeted by Kuwaiti air defenses.
Aircrew safe and recovered
All six crew members successfully ejected from the aircraft and were safely recovered. They are reported to be in stable condition.
Kuwait has acknowledged the incident, and U.S. officials expressed appreciation for the support of Kuwaiti defense forces during the recovery operation.
Investigation underway
“The cause of the incident is under investigation. Additional information will be released as it becomes available,” Central Command said in its statement.
The incident comes as the United States and Israel continue coordinated strikes against targets in Iran, with Tehran responding through missile and drone attacks across the Gulf region.
Source: Politico
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