Iran US War: The United States military on Monday said that its three F-15E fighter Strike Eagle jets were shot down in a friendly fire mishap by the Kuwaiti air defenses, not by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran.
The US CENTCOM further said that all six aircrew ejected safely after the jets were shot down.
“They have been recovered and are in stable condition,” the US CENTCOM stated as it announced an investigation into the causes of the mishap.
Earlier today, videos emerged on the Internet showing multiple fighter jets belonging to the United States Air Force being hit by what appeared to be missiles. While the first jet was instantly engulfed in the flames, a second appeared to take a hit on its right engine.
“During active combat—that included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones — the U.S. Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defense,” CENTCOM said.
“All six aircrew (two per plane) ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition. Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defense forces and their support in this ongoing operation,” it added.
The latest development comes days after the United States and Israel launched joint military strikes targeting major military and strategic establishments across Iran, including the capital, Tehran.
Following the strikes, Iran retaliated by targeting various locations in Israel, including Tel Aviv. Later, military hostilities between the two sides intensified after Israeli missiles targeted Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, resulting in his death.
Since Khamenei’s death, Iran has targeted multiple US air force bases across Gulf nations, including in Oman, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE.
In the latest tranche of missile attacks by Iran, it struck Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, claiming that his fate was unknown after the attack.
