TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Three United States military jets were shot down by Kuwait defense in an incident that appeared to be of friendly fire on Monday, March 2, 2026, as stated by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) as reported by France24. They added that all crew members were successfully rescued.
Three F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets were "mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defense" during an "active combat," CENTCOM stated in a release.
"All six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition," they added.
A statement from the Kuwait Defense Ministry broadcast by the state news agency stated that the fallen aircraft crew had been evacuated and transported to a hospital and were in stable condition. It was added that the response was conducted in coordination with the U.S. forces.
Kuwait intercepted enemy drones on Monday morning, the third consecutive day of Tehran's retaliatory strikes against Gulf nations in response to a joint U.S.-Israel attack on Iran on Saturday.
Explosions were also heard on Monday above Gulf cities Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, and Manama as Iran targeted U.S. allies in the Gulf following the killing of its top leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran's attacks have so far killed five people in the Gulf, according to authorities, including one in Kuwait. The oil-rich small nation hosts a significant U.S. military presence, stemming from the 1990 invasion by Iraq, which was successfully pushed back by a U.S.-led coalition that aided Kuwait's military.
Smoke was seen billowing from around the U.S. embassy compound in Kuwait City, with an eyewitness stating that fire trucks and ambulances were seen in the area.
The embassy urged U.S. citizens to stay indoors, take cover in a safe place, and avoid coming to the embassy, warning of "continuing threat of missile and UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) attacks over Kuwait" on its website.
Verified online footage taken in the Al Jahra area of Kuwait showed a military aircraft falling from the sky and a person parachuting in the same frame.
Iranian state media quoted the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as saying that Iranian armed forces shot down the U.S. aircraft that fell in Kuwait.
Tehran stated it would target U.S. bases in the region after the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran since Saturday morning. The attacks also hit various civilian and commercial areas in Gulf cities, expanding the conflict's impact on major regional aviation and trade hubs as well as closing airspace in several regional centers.
Two workers sustained minor injuries from falling debris at the Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery in Kuwait, said Kuwait National Petroleum Company on X.
No injuries were reported after air defenses intercepted most of the drones launched near the Rumaithiya and Salwa neighborhoods, according to Kuwait's civil defense general director, as quoted by the state news agency.
Read: All Crew Safe After U.S. F-15 Jet Crashes Near Kuwait-Iraq Border
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