WASHINGTON, March 2, 2026 — F-15E Strike Eagles downed by friendly fire over Kuwait were confirmed by US Central Command after three US Air Force jets were mistakenly engaged during combat operations linked to the ongoing conflict with Iran. All six aircrew members ejected safely, were recovered, and are in stable condition, the command said.
Central Command said the incident occurred at 11:01 p.m. ET Sunday as the aircraft flew in support of Operation Epic Fury. It described the losses as an apparent friendly fire incident and said the cause is under investigation.
Why F-15E Strike Eagles Downed Raised Air Defense Questions
US Central Command said the three F-15E Strike Eagles were operating during what it called active combat conditions that included threats from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones. In that environment, Kuwaiti air defenses mistakenly shot down the US aircraft, the command said.
Kuwait acknowledged the incident, and Central Command said it was grateful for the efforts of Kuwaiti defense forces and their support of the operation. The Kuwaiti Army earlier said several US military aircraft crashed and that all crew were safe and in stable condition, without providing a reason.
Details were first reported by Business Insider.
Social media videos circulated online that appeared to show a fighter aircraft resembling an F-15E descending in a tailspin and, in separate clips, parachutes drifting down. The footage could not be independently verified, including when it was recorded, though the reporting described visual indicators consistent with the Al Jahra area on the western outskirts of Kuwait City.
Other clips appeared to show uniformed personnel on the ground interacting cautiously with civilians, and one video appeared to show an individual wearing a flight helmet seated in the open trunk area of a civilian vehicle. US officials have not publicly authenticated the footage.
Operation Epic Fury and the Wider Iran Conflict
The losses mark the first publicly acknowledged downing of US aircraft in the latest phase of hostilities involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. Central Command has said it deployed multiple air assets to the region, including bombers and fighter aircraft, though its public list did not initially include F-15 variants.
The F-15E Strike Eagle is a twin-seat multirole strike fighter designed for long-range attack missions, typically crewed by a pilot and a weapons systems officer. The US Air Force fields hundreds of F-15 aircraft across variants, and the platform has been used in combat operations since the Gulf War.
US officials said Sunday that three American service members were killed and five were seriously wounded during the broader combat operations connected to the conflict. President Donald Trump, in a statement that day, said additional casualties were possible before operations concluded.
The US and Israel launched a major strike campaign against Iran over the weekend, with US statements describing wide-ranging targets and sustained military pressure. Central Command has also emphasized the scale of aerial threats in the region, including missiles and drones, which can compress decision timelines and complicate identification for air defense systems.
Friendly fire incidents remain uncommon but have occurred in recent years. In 2024, the US military investigated an incident in which a US Navy warship fired on two American F/A-18 fighter jets over the Red Sea after misidentifying them as threats, and the aircrew safely ejected.
Central Command said the investigation into the Kuwait incident is ongoing and that it will release more information as it becomes available. For families of deployed personnel and communities tied to the region’s bases, the immediate outcome, all six aircrew members alive and recovered, tempered what could have been a far more devastating loss.
