Kuwaiti air defences mistakenly shot down three US F-15E fighter jets during an Iranian assault.
All six American crew members ejected safely and were recovered in stable condition.
The incident is under investigation after Kuwait acknowledged the friendly fire error.
Kuwait Accidentally Downs 3 US F-15 Jets During Iranian Attack
Friendly fire incident sees all six American pilots eject safely as Kuwait supports US operations against Iran
Summary
Kuwaiti air defences mistakenly shot down three US F-15E fighter jets on Monday amid an Iranian assault involving aircraft, missiles and drones, the US military has confirmed.
According to Associated Press, all six crew members ejected safely from the aircraft and were recovered in stable condition.
The incident occurred as Iranian forces launched an attack, during which Kuwaiti defences, operating in support of US combat operations against Iran, accidentally engaged the American jets, US Central Command stated.
“The U.S. Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses,” the military said. “Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defense forces and their support in this ongoing operation.”
Associated Press reported that Iranian state television asserted Iran had targeted one of the US planes that crashed in Kuwait, though it provided no further details.
A witness, Ahmed al-Asar, described hearing explosions as one of the jets descended in flames. He and about a dozen others hurried to the crash site after seeing an airman parachute to the ground. Al-Asar at first believed the pilot was Iranian, but realised he was American before rescue teams took him away.
Reported AP, Kuwait confirmed that its air defences had inadvertently downed the jets while assisting the US operation.
The US military said the cause of the friendly fire incident remained under investigation.
(With inputs from AP)
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