CENTCOM says three fighter jets ‘shot down by mistake’. Kuwait investigates the cause of the incident.
Published March 2, 2026
Three US warplanes were shot down “by mistake” over Kuwait, the US military said, amid Washington’s joint offensive with the Israeli army against Iran.
Videos that emerged on Monday showed a US F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet spinning and spiraling down with its tail on fire and a trail of smoke behind it. Another video showed two pilots ejected. They were later seen alive on the ground being helped by locals.
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US Central Command (CENTCOM), a US combatant command whose area of responsibility includes the Middle East, said three US F-15E Strike Eagles had “been mistakenly shot down” by Kuwaiti air defenses “during active combat”.
“All six aircrew were ejected safely, have been safely recovered and are in stable condition. Kuwait has acknowledged this incident and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defense forces and their support in this ongoing operation,” said a CENTCOM statement posted on X.
“The cause of the incident is under investigation. Additional information will be released as it becomes available,” he added.
Kuwait’s Defense Ministry confirmed that several American planes had crashed and authorities were investigating the cause of the incident.
A spokesman said all the pilots survived, were taken to hospital and were in stable condition. The ministry said it was coordinating with US forces.
Loud explosions and sirens were also heard in Kuwait early on Monday and a witness quoted by the Reuters news agency said smoke was seen rising near the US embassy in Kuwait City. Videos showed rescue teams working at the scene.
Kuwaiti authorities said the drones had approached the capital. Air defenses intercepted most of them near the neighborhoods of Rumaithiya and Salwa, Kuwait’s state news agency reported, citing the director general of civil defense.
Iran has affected a number of civil and commercial areas in Gulf cities, widening the conflict’s impact on major regional economic and aviation hubs. Tehran said it would attack US military assets in the region after US-Israeli attacks on Iran continued for a third day.
America’s top general said from the Pentagon that it would take time for the US to achieve its military objectives.
“This is not a one-time, overnight operation. The military objectives that CENTCOM and the joint force have been tasked with will take some time to achieve and in some cases will be difficult and courageous work,” U.S. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters. He added that the United States continued to send additional troops to the Middle East, even after a massive military surge.
He made the comments a day after US President Donald Trump suggested that attacks on Iran could continue for four weeks.
A fourth U.S. service member died Monday from injuries sustained in the U.S. operation against Iran.
During the same press conference with Caine, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that military operations against Iran would not lead to an “endless war,” although he acknowledged that the operation would not be completed overnight. Hegseth said the goal was to destroy Tehran’s missiles, navy and other security infrastructure.
“This is not Iraq. This is not endless,” Hegseth said.
