The US military said in a statement that three US fighter jets crashed in Kuwait on Monday in an “apparent crossfire incident.”
Kuwait’s air defense forces accidentally shot down an F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet late Sunday night ET. All six crew members evacuated safely, according to U.S. Central Command.
CENTCOM said the cause of the incident is under investigation. These jets were flying in support of a military operation against Iran called Operation Epic Fury.
Kuwait’s Defense Ministry said early Monday that “several” U.S. fighter jets had crashed, but did not say exactly how many or why. The fighter jets cost tens of millions of dollars each.
The statement came after a video geolocated by CNN showed a fighter jet crashing in Kuwait and the pilot parachuting to the ground.
CNN has reached out to the White House for comment.
“A U.S. Air Force fighter jet was accidentally shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses during active combat that included attacks by Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones,” the CENTCOM statement said.
“All six crew members escaped safely, were recovered safely and are in stable condition. Kuwait acknowledges the incident and appreciates the efforts of the Kuwaiti Armed Forces and their support in ongoing operations.”
“Relevant authorities immediately launched search and rescue operations,” Kuwaiti Defense Ministry spokesman Col. Saeed Al-Atwan said in a statement.
“The crew was evacuated from the crash scene and transported to the hospital to assess their condition and provide necessary medical care,” he said.
The ministry added that the crew member’s condition was “stable.”
Al-Atwan said Kuwait was “coordinating directly” with U.S. authorities.
A video geolocated by CNN shows a fighter jet over Kuwait crashing near a US air base. The video shows the jet bursting into flames and whirling from the sky, suggesting it fell within 10 kilometers of the U.S. military base Ali Al Salem in Kuwait.
Other videos geolocated by CNN appear to show a fighter pilot on the ground in Kuwait after ejecting from the plane.
In one of the videos, a man wearing a full flight suit and helmet is seen kneeling on the ground next to an orange and white parachute and parachute cord in a desert area near a fence.
CNN located the video about 30 kilometers (18.5 miles) from Ali al Salem base.
Another video shows the pilot on his feet as bystanders look on, with thick black smoke billowing in the distant background.
The crash occurred during heavy shelling of the Gulf state as part of the growing war with Iran. The incident also coincided with smoke being seen near the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait.
This is especially true when American fighter jets crash overseas, often triggering investigations.
In 2024, a U.S. warship “accidentally bombed” an F/A-18 operating from the USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea. The incident was investigated and the two Navy pilots safely ejected.
The U.S. military has significant military assets in the region, which were deployed in the weeks leading up to the joint U.S.-Israel military operation that began early Saturday morning ET. The list released by CENTCOM on Sunday includes F-18s, F-16s, F-22s, F-35s, A-10 attack aircraft, MQ-9 Reaper drones, refueling aircraft, anti-drone systems, naval aircraft carriers, and guided missile destroyers, representing assets used so far.
More than 1,000 targets were attacked, CENTCOM said in a release on Sunday, adding that the military was focusing on military targets such as command and control centers, Iranian naval ships and submarines, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps headquarters.
This story has been updated with additional details.
