Three U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles crashed over Kuwait in an apparent friendly fire incident during Operation Epic Fury against Iran. U.S. Central Command confirmed the event occurred at approximately 11:03 p.m. ET on March 1, 2026, amid active combat involving Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones. Kuwaiti air defenses mistakenly targeted the jets, which were supporting defensive operations.
All six crew members—two per twin-seat F-15E—ejected safely, were recovered, and remain in stable condition after medical evaluation. The Kuwaiti Army reported several U.S. warplanes crashed that morning, with crews transferred to hospitals. Social media videos geolocated to Al Jahra near Kuwait City showed an F-15E in a tailspin, parachutes deploying, and personnel on the ground interacting with locals before recovery.
CENTCOM stated the jets flew over friendly territory at low altitude without external fuel tanks, likely countering Iranian threats that had struck Kuwait. Kuwait acknowledged the incident and assisted recovery efforts. An investigation into the mishap is underway, examining factors like radar track clutter from multiple Iranian weapons and coalition data links.
This marks the first confirmed U.S. air asset losses in the conflict, entering its third day, following strikes with Tomahawks and ATACMS on Iranian targets. Prior friendly fire included a December 2024 USS Gettysburg incident downing an F/A-18F.