Overview
- U.S. Central Command said the F‑15E Strike Eagles were downed at 11:03 p.m. ET on March 1 during heavy combat that included Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones.
- All six crew members ejected, were recovered by rescue teams and are in stable condition, according to U.S. and Kuwaiti officials.
- Kuwait acknowledged the shootdowns, coordinated with U.S. forces on the response and opened a joint technical probe into the friendly‑fire incident.
- Videos showed jets descending and pilots ejecting, smoke was reported near the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait City, the embassy issued a shelter‑in‑place alert, and debris injured two workers at the Mina Al‑Ahmadi refinery.
- CENTCOM said the losses were not from hostile fire, while Iranian state outlets claimed responsibility, as wider Operation Epic Fury strikes and Iranian retaliation continued across the Gulf.