Videos appear to show the moments U.S. fighter jets crashed over Kuwait on Monday local time. Three U.S. fighter jets, F-15E Strike Eagles involved in the operation against Iran, were shot down mistakenly by Kuwait’s air defenses in “an apparent friendly fire incident,” the U.S. military’s Central Command said.
At least one U.S. fighter jet was shot down by an F/A-18 aircraft, a type of plane that is operated by Kuwait’s Air Force, according to newly surfaced video verified by The Washington Post and reviewed by military experts.
In the video, a missile streaks through the sky before striking the F-15, which plummets to the ground. The outline of a F/A-18 fighter jet is visible flying above. Two aircraft crew members eject from the falling F-15 and descend toward Kuwaiti soil with bright orange parachutes.
All six crew members “ejected safely,” were recovered and were in stable condition, Centcom said. “Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defense forces and their support in this ongoing operation.”
Kuwait’s Defense Ministry said a number of U.S. military aircraft crashed Monday morning. The statement did not specify how many or a cause, adding that Kuwait was coordinating with the U.S. to investigate.
Another video, filmed 13 miles away, shows a different jet falling from the sky. A fire rages on board, sending thick black smoke into the air, charting the aircraft’s final descent.
Close to the crash site, visuals show a crew member on the ground, next to a bright orange parachute, in what appears to be the aftermath of the crash less than 10 miles from Kuwait International Airport. People gather around the lone crew member to film as black smoke rises behind.
Military experts who reviewed these visuals for The Post said the shape of the downed aircraft was consistent with that of F-15 fighter jets.
Another video shows a crew member parachuting down amid thick gray smoke. Below the crew member, a survival kit that is part of the ejection mechanism floats down to the ground.
Crowded skies and the presence of both allies and adversaries could have led to the friendly fire, said Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank.
“Two national militaries were involved, Kuwait and the United States. Although they train together and have compatible equipment, there is always a coordination problem when dealing with different militaries,” he said. “Friendly fire incidents are not unusual in wartime because of the confusion of combat and the difficulty in identifying friends or foe.”
Centcom declined to comment beyond its public statement, which said the cause of the incident is under investigation.
Leo Sands contributed to this report.
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