An American-made F-15 fighter jet of the US Air Force crashed in Kuwait on Monday amid escalating tensions in the Middle East following the joint US-Israel military action that led to the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The conflict in the rapidly evolving Middle East has widened following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) on Monday claimed that a US F-15 fighter jet was shot down over Kuwait earlier in the day.
Citing local sources, IRNA shared a video clip that it said shows the downing of the American fighter jet.
“According to local sources, a US F-15 fighter jet was shot down in the skies above Kuwait earlier on Monday morning,” the post said.
However, the exact cause of the crash has not yet been officially confirmed.
According to initial reports, both the pilot and the Weapons Systems Officer (WSO) aboard the US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle that crashed over Kuwait have survived.
Local residents reportedly found the two crew members and later handed them over to Kuwaiti authorities.
A video of the fighter jet crash has also surfaced on social media.
Some reports suggest the aircraft may have been hit in a possible "friendly fire" incident involving the US Air Force. However, US Central Command and the Pentagon have not yet officially confirmed the cause of the crash.
Earlier, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) shared a post on X claiming that Iran had targeted several locations across the region, including "Dubai International Airport; Kuwait International Airport; Zayed International Airport, Dubai; Erbil International Airport, Iraq; Port of Dubai" as well as residential areas in Israel, Bahrain and Qatar.
Al Jazeera also reported on Monday that new explosions were heard in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, along with loud bangs in Doha. Arab News reported that Iranian missiles and drones had targeted Kuwait and Bahrain as well. An eyewitness told news agency Reuters that smoke was seen rising from near the US embassy in Kuwait.
Earlier in the day, the Kuwait Air Defence Force shot down "a number of hostile aerial targets" early Monday morning (local time), according to the Kuwait Army.
In a post on X, the Kuwait army wrote, "The Official Spokesman for the ministry of defense stated that the Kuwaiti air defense force confronted a number of hostile aerial targets at dawn today with efficiency and capability, as they were monitored and intercepted within the scope of operations in the central part of the country, as part of the complete readiness to protect the nation's airspace, with no casualties recorded. He affirmed that the armed forces continue to carry out their duties and address any potential developments, ensuring the preservation of the country's security and stability."
The developments come as Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, firmly rejected on Monday that Iran would negotiate with the United States.
The second meeting of the Provisional Leadership Council was held after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei was killed on Saturday in US-Israel strikes carried out under Operation Epic Fury/Roaring Lion.
Following Khamenei’s killing, Donald Trump addressed the Iranian public on Saturday, calling on them to topple the government. "This will probably be your only chance for generations," he said after the US and Israeli attacks on Iran began.
The Provisional Leadership Council was formed shortly after Supreme Leader Khamenei and several top security officials were killed in the ongoing US and Israeli strikes.
The interim council, which includes President Masoud Pezeshkian, will oversee the country until a new supreme leader is elected. Iranian state media reported that at least 201 people have been killed in the attacks across 24 provinces, according to Al Jazeera.