A Kuwaiti F/A-18 Hornet aircraft is suspected of having accidentally shot down three US F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets during Washington’s joint military operation with Israel against Iran, according to a preliminary investigation cited by the Wall Street Journal.
The incident reportedly occurred on the third day of the conflict, as Iran responded by launching a large-scale barrage of missiles and drones targeting Kuwait and other Gulf states that host US military bases.
According to a US official, the F/A-18 Hornet pilot inadvertently fired three missiles at the three American aircraft, which subsequently crashed in Kuwaiti territory. All three pilots, along with their crew members, successfully ejected and were unharmed.
How the US fighter jets were downed
Videos circulating on social media showed one of the US F-15 aircraft descending in a spin, trailing smoke, with flames visible from its tail section.
In its initial statement, US Central Command said the three American jets had been “mistakenly” brought down by Kuwaiti air defenses. The command noted that the incident occurred during active combat operations, as Iranian missiles and drones were targeting the area.
Kuwait has acknowledged the episode and announced that it has opened a separate investigation. Earlier, Reuters reported that the Iranian armed forces had claimed responsibility for striking a U.S. aircraft that later crashed in Kuwait.
However, General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has stated that the aircraft were not downed by “hostile enemy fire.”
The precise circumstances surrounding the loss of the American fighter jets remain unclear. The incident took place as Kuwaiti forces were intercepting hostile drones amid Iran’s retaliatory strikes.
The incident has left aviation experts puzzled. A former Air Force pilot noted that pilots from allied nations are rigorously trained to adhere to established protocols designed to prevent such errors. Kuwait is designated as a major non-NATO ally of the United States.
The F-15E is a multirole combat aircraft designed to conduct both air-to-air and air-to-ground operations. This twin-engine, fourth-generation fighter jet was first introduced in the 1970s.
The incident underscores the instability and disorder the conflict has generated across the Middle East. On Sunday, an Iranian drone attack on a US base in Kuwait resulted in the deaths of six American service members. Earlier in the week, the US Embassy in Kuwait City was also targeted.
