US F-15E aircraft crashed near Kuwait’s Ali Al Salem base as sirens sounded and embassy staff sheltered in place.
UPDATE:
Iranian state television quoted the unified combat command of the armed forces — the Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters — as announcing the downing of an American F-15 fighter jet on the border with Kuwait.
The claim follows earlier Iranian statements that US military assets across the region are legitimate targets amid ongoing hostilities.
No immediate US confirmation was issued regarding Iran’s assertion.
Key Developments
- CNN geolocated video showing a twin-engine jet spiraling before crashing near Ali Al Salem.
- Kuwaiti Defense Ministry confirmed multiple US aircraft crashes; crews survived.
- The Wall Street Journal cited a US official saying at least one aircraft was shot down.
- Air raid sirens sounded across Kuwait amid regional escalation.
- US Embassy ordered personnel and citizens to shelter in place.
Crash near Ali Al Salem Air Base
According to CNN, video geolocated by its team captured a twin-engine jet spiraling into a tailspin before crashing within 10 kilometers of Ali Al Salem Air Base.
CNN analysis indicated the aircraft appeared consistent with an F-15, though officials had not confirmed the model or its origin at the time of reporting.
Additional footage circulating online showed what was identified as an F-15E Strike Eagle crashing west of Al Jahra, Kuwait. White smoke was visible trailing from the aircraft before it descended. One video showed a crew member ejecting and descending by parachute.
Independent analysts geolocated the crash site west of Al Jahra.
The moment an American F-15 explodes above Kuwait. According to US officials, the jet was downed in Kuwait in a 'friendly fire incident'.
The Kuwaiti Ministry of Defense later announced that 'SEVERAL' U.S. fighter jets crashed this morning, but all their crews… pic.twitter.com/av9ifhrMko
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) March 2, 2026
The cause of the crash remains unclear, with speculation ranging from mechanical malfunction to possible shoot-down.
Kuwaiti Confirmation
The Kuwaiti Ministry of Defense announced that several American warplanes had crashed but confirmed the complete safety of their crews.
In a statement published by the Kuwaiti Army’s official account on X, authorities said search and rescue operations were immediately launched and that the crews were evacuated and transferred to the hospital for medical evaluation.
The ministry added that coordination was conducted with US forces and that joint technical measures were underway to determine the cause of the incident. Officials urged the public to rely on official sources as investigations continue.
According to The Wall Street Journal, a US Central Command official confirmed that at least one US aircraft had been shot down in Kuwait, though the crew ejected safely.
Iran reports 560 American casualties from its strikes; the US confirms eight serious cases, rejecting Tehran’s figures.
Read the key developments and the full story here: https://t.co/xdWhrBNJIa
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) March 2, 2026
Sirens and Shelter-in-Place Orders
Amid the incident, air raid sirens reportedly sounded across Kuwait as regional tensions escalated following ongoing US–Israeli strikes in Iran.
The US Embassy in Kuwait issued an urgent advisory instructing American citizens not to approach the embassy and to shelter in place.
The US Department of State warned of a “continuing threat of missile and UAV attacks over Kuwait,” advising residents to remain indoors on the lowest available floor and away from windows.
Embassy personnel were also reported to be sheltering in place.
(PC, CNN, Kuwaiti Ministry of Defense, WSJ, Al-Jazeera)
Two things – aviationwekk provides confirmation that it was “friendly fire” that was so unfriendly to the USAF F-15s – https://aviationweek.com/defense/budget-policy-operations/us-suffers-f-15-losses-iran-fighting-widens?utm_rid=CPEN1000003991441&elq2=778872ed59af48478cd985979b8b374d&utm_emailname=AW_News_AerospaceDigest_NL_03022026&sp_eh=6e0e6636fc9f5ba77e6316593fc17e6466e4d2f9b5b4bdb0f55b7a0410a5dd0a – and of course, the US, home of “Intellectual Rights” extreme enforcement, has just fired copies of the Iranian Shahed-136 drone at Iran. Iran has therefore a case against the US to bring before the WTO concerning copyright infringement, worth a trillion dollars easily.