US says Kuwait mistakenly downed 3 American jets during Iranian attacks
- Last updated: March 2, 2026 | 16:50 ..
Three American fighter jets were mistakenly downed by friendly Kuwaiti fire on Monday during an Iranian air assault, the US military said.
All six crew members safely ejected from the F-15E Strike Eagles and were in stable condition after being recovered, the US said.
An attack by Iranian aircraft, missiles and drones was underway at the time the planes were shot down.
Iranian state television claimed that Iran had targeted one of the US planes that crashed in Kuwait without elaborating.
Kuwait said its air defences had accidentally shot down the jets as part of its support for the US combat operation in Iran, US Central Command said.
"The US Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defences,” 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.”
The incident is the first downing of US aircraft since the US-Israeli war against Iran began on Saturday and underscores how rapidly the conflict is widening across the Gulf.
"During active combat — that included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones - the US Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses," CENTCOM said. It said that Kuwait had acknowledged the incident and that an investigation into the cause was underway.
Video images showed a US warplane falling out of the sky over Kuwait early on Monday, while a person could be seen parachuting.
The location was verified by Reuters as filmed in the Al Jahra area of Kuwait.
Reuters/Ipsos polling over the weekend showed just one-in-four Americans support US strikes on Iran, with respondents concerned in part about harm to US troops.
Trump on Sunday warned of more US casualties as strikes continue, which analysts say could further erode American support for the war.
SMOKE AT US EMBASSY
In a separate incident, smoke was seen rising from the vicinity of the US embassy compound in Kuwait fire trucks and ambulances were in the area, a witness told Reuters. There were no responses to requests for comment on the embassy incident from the US embassy in Kuwait, or from the US State Department.
Kuwait intercepted hostile drones earlier on Monday, the third consecutive day of Iranian retaliatory strikes on neighbouring Gulf states in response to US and Israeli attacks on the Islamic Republic.
Iran's state media earlier cited the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as saying Iranian armed forces hit a US plane that crashed in Kuwait.
FALLING DEBRIS INJURES WORKERS
Two workers were slightly injured by falling debris at Kuwait's Mina Al Ahmadi refinery, Kuwait's National Petroleum Company said on X.
The US embassy in Kuwait warned US citizens that there was a continuing threat of missile and drone attacks over the country and urged citizens not to come to the embassy.
It advised people to shelter in place, remain on the lowest floor of their residence away from windows and not go outside.
No injuries were reported after Kuwait air defences intercepted the majority of the drones near Rumaithiya and Salwa neighbourhoods, the state news agency cited the director-general of the civil defence as saying.
Loud bangs and sirens were heard throughout the morning in Kuwait, according to Reuters witnesses. A series of loud blasts was heard on Monday morning in Dubai and the Qatari capital of Doha, according to Reuters witnesses.
Reuters