‘One Kuwaiti pilot blasted all three US F-15 jets out of the sky in friendly fire blunder’
One Kuwaiti pilot accidentally downed three US F-15 jets in a friendly fire mishap
A single Kuwaiti pilot operating an American-built fighter jet mistakenly targeted three US F-15 aircraft during a classified incident, as reported by sources. The pilot, flying an F/A-18, launched three missiles at the American planes, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The US airmen were forced to eject after the Kuwaiti pilot confused their F-15E Strike Eagles with Iranian jets, resulting in an estimated $300 million in damages for US forces. A video shared online captured the unexpected moment when an American pilot, who had parachuted from his downed jet, was mistaken for an Iranian soldier by local civilians.
“Back up. Stop!” the pilot was heard shouting as the men approached, brandishing a metal pipe and shouting.
The situation eased once the pilot clarified his nationality, prompting the locals to retreat. The footage also showed the third pilot walking on the ground after a safe ejection. US CENTCOM confirmed that all six crew members were recovered, evacuated, and received medical care following the incident.
Kuwait’s Ministry of Defence stated it was working with the US to investigate the “circumstances of the incident.” The pilot, who was part of the three planes shot down, was seen in a tailspin near a US military base in Kuwait. Earlier clips revealed the aircraft spiraling out of control before crashing to the ground.
Iranian drone strike targets US operations center in Kuwait
The incident follows a separate attack where an Iranian drone strike hit a US operations center in Kuwait, killing six American soldiers on Sunday. This development has raised concerns about the safety measures in place as the US and Israel conduct operations against Iran, which has retaliated with attacks across the region.
President Donald Trump and US defense leaders indicated that additional casualties are expected. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth explained that the drone strike occurred at a tactical operations center in Port Shuaiba, where a projectile bypassed air defenses. The Pentagon confirmed the attack the following day, naming four of the slain soldiers.
A satellite image from Monday displayed the main building of the complex in ruins, with black smoke rising from the site. The location is situated in Port Shuaiba, a key seaport and industrial area south of Kuwait City. The footage of the pilot’s ordeal has since gone viral, alongside another video where an unnamed female pilot smiled broadly despite being shot down moments earlier.