Kuwait confirms loss of several U.S. fighter jets

Key Points
  • Kuwait confirmed that several United States Air Force aircraft crashed during a morning incident with all crews surviving and rescued.
  • Authorities are investigating the cause of the crashes as unverified reports suggest the incident may have occurred during air defense activity amid a drone attack.

Kuwait’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that several United States Air Force combat aircraft crashed during morning hours, stating that all aircrews survived and were safely recovered following emergency search and rescue operations, according to an official government statement identified as Statement No. 7.

In its official announcement, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Defense spokesperson said: “This morning, a number of American military aircraft fell, confirming that all their crews survived completely.”

The spokesperson added that emergency response teams were deployed immediately after the crashes. “The competent authorities immediately began search and rescue procedures, as the crews were evacuated and transferred to the hospital to check on their health condition and provide the necessary medical care, noting that their condition is stable.”

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According to the statement, Kuwaiti authorities coordinated directly with U.S. forces following the incident. The spokesperson said: “Direct coordination was carried out with the friendly American forces regarding the circumstances of the incident and the adoption of joint technical procedures.”

Officials further confirmed that investigations remain ongoing. The statement noted that “the concerned authorities are following up on the investigations to determine the causes of the incident,” while urging the public to obtain information only from official sources.

The Kuwaiti government did not disclose the aircraft type, number of personnel involved, or exact crash locations. However, footage circulating online and reviewed by observers appears to show two separate crash sites involving F-15 fighter jets. One aircraft is seen fully engulfed in flames, while another shows fire concentrated near the right engine area, though these visual assessments have not been officially confirmed by authorities.

Some regional sources and open-source observers have suggested the possibility that the incident occurred during air defense activity linked to a drone attack, raising speculation about a potential friendly-fire scenario.

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