Three US fighter jets accidentally shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses, military says

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Last edited Mon Mar 2, 2026, 06:54 AM - Edit history (1)

Source: CNN World

Updated Mar 2, 2026, 6:26 AM ET
PUBLISHED Mar 2, 2026, 3:19 AM ET


Three US fighter jets crashed in Kuwait on Monday due to an “apparent friendly fire incident,” the US military said in a statement.

Kuwaiti air defenses accidentally shot the F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets down late Sunday evening ET time. All six crew members ejected safely, US Central Command said. The cause of the incident is under investigation, according to CENTCOM. The jets were flying in support of the military operation against Iran, dubbed Operation Epic Fury.

Kuwait’s defense ministry had said in the early hours of Monday morning that “several” US fighter jets crashed but did not specify exactly how many or what had caused it. The fighter jets each cost tens of millions of dollars. The statement comes after videos geolocated by CNN showed a fighter jet crashing in Kuwait and a pilot parachuting to the ground.

CNN has reached out to the White House for comment.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/02/middleeast/us-kuwait-aircraft-crash-iran-intl-hnk

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Article updated.

Original article/headline -

Kuwait's defense ministry says 'several' US military aircraft have crashed, all crews survived

Updated Mar 2, 2026, 3:54 AM ET
PUBLISHED Mar 2, 2026, 3:19 AM ET


Kuwait’s Ministry of Defense said “several United States military aircraft crashed” on Monday and that “all crew members survived.”

The statement comes after videos geolocated by CNN showed a fighter jet crashing in Kuwait and a pilot parachuting to the ground. The video appeared to show an F-15E fighter jet, according to a CNN analysis. It’s unclear what caused the crashes of the aircraft, which each cost tens of millions of dollars. CNN has reached out to US Central Command and the White House for comment.

“Relevant authorities immediately initiated search-and-rescue operations,” Kuwait’s defense ministry spokesperson Col. Said Al-Atwan said in the statement. “The crews were evacuating from the crash sites and transferred to hospital to assess their condition and provided necessary medical care,” he said.

The crew members are in a “stable” condition, the ministry added. Al-Atwan said Kuwait was in “direct coordination” with US authorities.