One Kuwaiti pilot mistakenly shot down three US F-15 jets in friendly fire error

A single Kuwaiti pilot operating an American-built jet mistakenly downed three U.S. F-15s during a friendly fire incident, according to a report. The pilot, flying an F/A-18, launched three missiles at the American aircraft, sources close to the initial investigation told the Wall Street Journal.

The American pilots were forced to eject after the Kuwaiti crew identified their F-15E Strike Eagles as Iranian planes on Monday. The error led to the loss of three jets, estimated to cost the U.S. military $300 million in repairs.

Footage captures pilot’s tense encounter with locals

Video shared online revealed a dramatic moment when an American pilot, who had parachuted from his jet shot down over Kuwait, was mistaken for an Iranian soldier. A group of local men approached the airman, shouting as one brandished a metal pipe.

“Back up. Stop!” the pilot repeated as the men closed in, believing he was an Iranian pilot.

The situation eased when the pilot confirmed his nationality, prompting the locals to retreat. The video showed the pilot’s plane in a tailspin near a U.S. military base, with the wreckage crashing to the ground.

US military confirms all crew members survived

US Central Command stated that all six crew members ejected during the incident were safely retrieved and transported to hospitals for medical checks. Their condition was reported as stable.

Kuwait’s Defence Ministry confirmed it was working with the U.S. to investigate the incident’s causes. The event follows a separate attack on Sunday, where an Iranian drone strike targeted a U.S. operations centre in Kuwait, killing six American soldiers.

Footage from Monday also highlighted another moment of camaraderie. An unnamed female pilot was seen smiling broadly despite being shot down earlier in the same friendly fire mishap. A man recording the scene asked, “You need something to help you?” before the pilot responded, “No problem, you are safe, you are safe. Everything good? Thank you for helping us.”

The pilot’s successful ejection and the drone strike underscore the complex security landscape in Kuwait, which hosts the largest U.S. military presence in the region—over 13,500 troops stationed in the Middle East. The drone attack destroyed the main building of the operations centre in Port Shuaiba, a working seaport and industrial area south of Kuwait City, leaving a plume of black smoke in its wake.

President Donald Trump and U.S. defense leaders warned of more casualties as tensions escalate. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth clarified that the drone strike killed six soldiers at a tactical operations centre, with the projectile bypassing air defenses. The Pentagon later confirmed the attack occurred in Port Shuaiba, naming four of the casualties.