Kuwait’s air defences mistakenly shot down three US F-15 fighter jets on Monday in what US Central Command (Centcom) has described as an apparent friendly-fire incident The event occurred during a period of "active combat" that included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones, Centcom said in a statement
All six American crew members from the aircraft ejected safely, were recovered, and are in stable condition, according to the Centcom statement The US military command added that Kuwait had acknowledged the incident and that a joint investigation was underway to determine the cause of the error
The downing was partially captured on video, with footage verified by news agencies showing a warplane falling from the sky over the Al Jahra area of Kuwait while a person parachuted to safety
In a separate development on Monday, smoke was seen rising from the vicinity of the US Embassy compound in Kuwait City, with emergency services present at the scene The downing of the jets marks a serious event in a highly volatile regional environment, highlighting the risks of miscalculation among allied forces operating under threat.
Asad Baig