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The US lost three of its most advanced fighter jets Monday after they were mistakenly shot down over Kuwait by the country’s air defenses.

All six crew members on board the $31 million F-15E Strike Eagle jets were able to eject safely and are in stable condition.


  A crew member parachutes to safely after their fighter jet is shot down. via REUTERS A crew member parachutes to safely after their fighter jet is shot down. via REUTERS

  A fighter jet pilot lands safely on the ground after ejecting from the fighter jet that was accidentally shot down. @sentdefender/X A fighter jet pilot lands safely on the ground after ejecting from the fighter jet that was accidentally shot down. @sentdefender/X

  Smoke is seen rising from the US Embassy in Kuwait on March 2, 2026. via REUTERS Smoke is seen rising from the US Embassy in Kuwait on March 2, 2026. via REUTERS

“Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defense forces and their support in this ongoing operation,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

The jet crashes, captured in dramatic video footage, were reported shortly after an apparent Iranian missile and drone barrage struck the US Embassy compound in Kuwait City — which had earlier issued a blunt warning to Americans, telling them to remain indoors, take cover, and “Do not come to the Embassy.”

Fire and smoke were seen rising from inside the compound, though there were no immediate reports of any casualties.

Explosions could be heard as one of the planes fell from the sky in flames, said witness Ahmed al-Asar, who rushed to the scene with about a dozen others as an airman parachuted to the ground.


  An Israeli F-16 fighter jet near Beit Shemesh. REUTERS An Israeli F-16 fighter jet near Beit Shemesh. REUTERS

Al-Asar initially thought the pilot was Iranian, but recognized he was American before rescuers whisked him away.

Iranian state television claimed that Iran had targeted one of the US planes, without elaborating.

Shocking footage showed the planes dropping in flames from the sky after being hit, before colliding hard with the ground.

Other clips also showed some of the pilots parachuting slowly to the ground.

And more appeared to show some of the pilots landing — with one appearing dazed while being met by local Kuwaitis, before being loaded into a car and driven to help.

Another pilot appeared to be smiling ear-to-ear after she touched down and was greeted by a group of thankful locals.

“You’re fine? Really?” a man shouted while running to the pilot. “You need something to help you?”

The pilot confirmed she was okay, while the man reassured her that she was safe.

“Thank you for helping us,” he said.

The narrow miss comes as US casualties have begun to rise in the two days since Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed alongside 40 of his top lieutenants in a sprawling strike by the US and Israel on Saturday.

Six service members had been confirmed killed as of Monday, with bombs continuing to fall across the country and Iranian forces slinging retaliatory strikes across the Middle East.

Three of the American soldiers killed were deployed to Kuwait as part of a unit that oversees supplies and logistics.


  A rocket moves in the sky over Dubai. OBTAINED BY REUTERS via REUTERS A rocket moves in the sky over Dubai. OBTAINED BY REUTERS via REUTERS

  Smoke seen rising from the oil refinery in Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, on March 2, 2026. via REUTERS Smoke seen rising from the oil refinery in Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia, on March 2, 2026. via REUTERS

CENTCOM said it would withhold the identities of service members who were killed until 24 hours after their families were notified.

President Trump has cautioned that US causalities are likely to increase across the combat he predicted could last weeks, but has justified losses as necessary for assuring Americans’ safety.

Kuwait has been among Tehran’s retaliatory targets, with missiles and drones being fired across the country.

Other retaliatory attacks by Iran have hit US bases in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain — the last of which is home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet.

Follow The Post’s coverage on the latest in the peace deal with Iran:

Tehran has also targeted the oil infrastructure of other nations.

Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura oil refinery came under a drone attack on Monday, with defenses downing the incoming aircraft, a military spokesman told the state-run Saudi Press Agency.

Online videos from the site appeared to show thick, black smoke rising after the attack. Even successfully intercepted drones cause debris that can spark fires and injure those on the ground.


  Smoke rises after a strike in Tehran, Iran, on Monday, March 2, 2026. AP Smoke rises after a strike in Tehran, Iran, on Monday, March 2, 2026. AP

Ras Tanura, near the city of Dammam in eastern Saudi Arabia, is one of the world’s largest with a capacity of over half a million barrels of crude oil a day. It was temporarily shut down as a precaution after the attack, Saudi state television reported.

Earlier in the day, debris fell on Kuwait’s Ahmadi oil refinery, injuring two workers, after drones were shot down, the state-run KUNA news agency reported.

The US Air Force had 219 F-15E Strike Eagles in operation as of spring 2019. The jets are renowned for their unblemished record in air-to-air combat.

They cost about $31 million to make.

With Post wires

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