A video recorded in Kuwait shows the moment in which one of the American F-15E Strike Eagle fighters plummets before its pilot ejects and descends by parachute. The images, verified by Reuters in the Al Jahra area, show an incident that the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) itself has described as a case of friendly fire.
According to the official statement, three F-15E aircraft were shot down by mistake by Kuwaiti air defenses during a combat mission on Sunday night, at 11:03 p.m. US East Coast time. The event occurred on the third day of the offensive after the start of US and Israeli bombings against Iran in the operation called ‘Epic Fury’.
CENTCOM explained that, in the midst of an active combat scenario that included attacks with ballistic missiles, drones and Iranian aircraft, Kuwait’s defense systems mistook the US fighters for a threat. The six crew members managed to eject and were recovered alive. All are in stable condition.
The head of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, confirmed the loss of the three F-15Es in an appearance at the Pentagon. “I am grateful for the safety of the crews and we know that it was not a consequence of enemy fire,” he stated, avoiding offering more details as an investigation is open.
For its part, Iran claimed through its state media, citing the Revolutionary Guard, that its forces had hit a US plane that crashed in Kuwait, a version that contradicts the official US explanation.
Kuwait has acknowledged the incident and announced the opening of an investigation. Hours before learning of the loss of the devices, the Kuwaiti Government had condemned the “indiscriminate and reckless attacks with missiles and drones against sovereign territories in the region”, alluding to the Iranian offensive.
The F-15E Strike Eagle is a fourth-generation twin-engine fighter, designed for air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. Introduced in the 1970s, it has been a key player in American air superiority for decades.
