US says three F-15E jets were 'accidentally shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses'
The Pentagon acknowledged the loss of three strike aircraft in a friendly-fire incident that underscored the complexity of coordinating allied air defenses.
Americas — March 2, 2026
The United States confirmed Monday that three F-15E Strike Eagles were accidentally shot down by Kuwaiti air defense systems during a fratricide incident in the skies over the northern Persian Gulf.
Pentagon Press Secretary Sean Parnell called it 'a tragic accident' and said the six crew members—two per aircraft—were killed. He said an investigation had been launched immediately.
'There was a failure of identification friend or foe protocols. We are working with Kuwaiti allies to understand exactly what happened,' Parnell told reporters.
Kuwaiti officials expressed 'profound regret' and pledged full cooperation with the US inquiry. The incident is the first known allied-fire fatality for US forces since the campaign against Iran began.
The crash represents a significant loss for the US Air Force's F-15E inventory and has prompted a review of coalition air-space coordination procedures across all Gulf partner nations.
A congressional delegation demanded a classified briefing on the incident, with Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker calling it 'deeply troubling.'
