Details remain very limited at this time, but an F-15 went down in the Middle East. Accounts online claim it occurred over Kuwait. Videos show the aircraft in a flat spin while ablaze, with its vertical tails missing and fire coming from its empennage, before crashing into the ground. At least one crewman safely ejected.
Since this article was first published, U.S. Central Command has confirmed that three U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles were brought down by friendly fire over Kuwait today. Updates with the latest info can be found below.
Three USAF F-15E Strike Eagles Shot Down By Friendly Fire (Updated)
The F-15Es went down over Kuwait while flying Operation Epic Fury missions.Tyler Rogoway, Howard Altman, Thomas Newdick
Updated Mar 2, 2026 6:43 AM EST
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UPDATE: 6:40 AM EST—
U.S. Central Command has confirmed that, on March 1, three U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles flying in support of Operation Epic Fury went down over Kuwait due to an apparent friendly fire incident. The CENTCOM statement continued:
CENTCOM said that all six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in a stable condition.
“Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defense forces and their support in this ongoing operation,” the statement added. The cause of the incident is under investigation.
UPDATE: 4:30 AM EST—
CNN reports that it has geolocated the crash site of the F-15E seen falling from the sky in a flat spin. The broadcaster says that this jet came down within 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) of Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait.
At this stage, we are still waiting for verification that the aircraft losses today were the result of friendly fire. It is worth noting, however, that incidents of this kind are very much a feature of high-intensity air campaigns, and there are several precedents in recent years. In December 2024, for example, the Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg fired a Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) that brought down an F/A-18F Super Hornet operating from the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman. On that occasion, the Gettysburg had identified the jet as a Houthi anti-ship cruise missile, examples of which had been fired at the strike group. Two Navy pilots ejected safely. You can read more about that here.
Once again, the usual caveats apply, and until these videos can be verified, they should be treated as unconfirmed.
UPDATE: 3:42AM EST—
The location of one of the videos was geolocated to Al Jahra, Kuwait.
UPDATE: 3:00AM EST—
The Kuwaiti Ministry of Defense has released a statement stating that multiple aircraft were involved and all the crews are safe. It remains unclear exactly what occurred:
“The spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense stated that several U.S. military aircraft crashed this morning, confirming the complete safety of their crews. He explained that the relevant authorities immediately initiated search and rescue procedures, whereby the crews were evacuated and transferred to the hospital to check on their health status and provide the necessary medical care, noting that their condition is stable. The official spokesperson added that direct coordination was conducted with the friendly U.S. forces regarding the circumstances of the incident, and joint technical measures were taken. He affirmed that the concerned authorities are following up on the investigations to determine the causes of the incident, calling for information to be obtained from its official sources.”
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Three USAF F-15E Strike Eagles Shot Down By Friendly Fire (Updated)
The F-15Es went down over Kuwait while flying Operation Epic Fury missions.
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