Three US F-15E Strike Eagles were shot down over Kuwait in what the US Central Command (CENTCOM) described as an apparent friendly fire incident during active combat operations, with all six crew members safely ejecting and surviving.

According to CENTCOM, the aircraft were flying in support of Operation Epic Fury late Sunday when they were mistakenly targeted by Kuwaiti air defences amid ongoing regional hostilities that included Iranian aircraft, ballistic missile and drone attacks.

CENTCOM said all six aircrew members ejected safely and were recovered. Kuwait acknowledged the incident and supported rescue efforts, the US command added.

Earlier, Kuwait’s Ministry of Defence confirmed that several American warplanes had crashed on Monday morning and said all crew members survived. A ministry spokesman stated that search and rescue teams evacuated the personnel and transported them to hospital for medical evaluation, adding that their condition was stable.

The incident occurred during heightened military activity in the region, with multiple aerial and missile threats reported.

Explosions reported in Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain as Iran launches missile retaliation

Authorities said the cause of the crash was under investigation.