Three US fighter jets mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defences
Monday, March 02, 2026
An F15 fighter jet

Three US fighter jets were accidentally shot down by Kuwaiti air defences in an apparent friendly fire incident, the US military has said. All crew members were rescued and are in stable condition.

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US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement that the F-15 aircraft were "mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defences.” The six personnel on board ejected safely and were later recovered.

Videos geolocated by CNN showed a fighter jet crashing in Kuwait, with at least one pilot seen parachuting to the ground.

The United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran early Saturday following what the Israeli military described as months of joint planning.

US President Donald Trump called the operation "massive and ongoing,” warning that American lives could be at risk and urging Iranians to "take over your government.”

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He accused Tehran of attempting to rebuild its nuclear programme after earlier US strikes — an allegation Iran denies, insisting its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes.

In retaliation, Iran fired missiles toward Israel and US-linked targets across the region. Explosions were reported in several countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar.