‘One Kuwaiti pilot blasted all three US F-15 jets out of the sky in friendly fire blunder’
One Kuwaiti pilot blasted all three US F-15 jets out of the sky in friendly fire blunder
A report claims a single Kuwaiti pilot, operating an American-built fighter jet, accidentally downed three U.S. F-15 jets during a friendly fire error. The incident occurred on Monday morning, according to sources close to the initial investigation shared with the Wall Street Journal.
The pilot, flying an F/A-18 aircraft, launched three missiles at the American planes, mistaking them for Iranian jet models. This error resulted in the loss of three U.S. jets, costing the military approximately $300 million to replace.
Footage circulating on social media captured a dramatic moment as an American pilot, who had ejected from his aircraft after being shot down, was initially mistaken for an Iranian soldier by nearby locals. In the video, a group of men approached the pilot, shouting, while one brandished a metal pipe. The pilot was heard urging them to “Back up. Stop!” as the crowd encroached.
Friendly fire incident details
The confusion was resolved when the pilot confirmed his nationality to the locals, prompting them to retreat. The same pilot was among the three U.S. jets that were mistakenly targeted, with the aircraft visible in a tailspin near a U.S. military base in Kuwait.
“Several US warplanes crashed this morning. Confirming that all crew members survived,” stated a Kuwaiti defense ministry spokesman on Monday, following the incident. “Authorities immediately initiated search and rescue operations, evacuating the crews and transporting them to a hospital for medical evaluation and treatment. Their condition is stable.”
Additional footage from social media depicted an unnamed female pilot smiling broadly despite being shot down in the same friendly fire mishap. A man recording the scene asked her, “You need something to help you?” before the pilot responded, “No problem, you are safe, you are safe. Everything good? Thank you for helping us.”
The third pilot, also ejected safely, was seen walking on the ground after the incident. Meanwhile, the U.S. Central Command confirmed that all six crew members involved had been recovered and are in stable condition.
Diplomatic response and ongoing investigations
Kuwait’s Ministry of Defence announced it was working with the U.S. to examine the “circumstances of the incident” and conduct a full inquiry. This event occurred as tensions rose following an Iranian drone strike on a U.S. operations center in Kuwait, which claimed six American lives on Sunday.
The drone attack, which targeted a tactical operations center in Port Shuaiba, left the main building in ruins, with black smoke rising from the site. The strike was confirmed by the Pentagon as occurring just south of Kuwait City, near a key seaport and industrial area.
Kuwait hosts the largest U.S. military presence in the region, with over 13,500 troops stationed in the Middle East. The combination of these two incidents has sparked questions about the safety measures in place during the ongoing conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran, as the latter retaliates with strikes across the region.
President Donald Trump and top defense leaders anticipated further casualties, with Secretary Pete Hegseth noting that the drone strike killed six soldiers at a tactical operations center. The Pentagon later identified four of the victims, confirming the incident’s location in Port Shuaiba.
