By Obinna Uballa
Kuwait’s Ministry of Defense has confirmed that several United States military aircraft crashed on Monday, with all crew members surviving the incidents.
In a statement issued by ministry spokesperson Col. Said Al-Atwan, the Kuwaiti authorities said search-and-rescue operations were launched immediately after the crashes. The crew members were evacuated from the crash sites and transferred to hospital for medical evaluation.
“They are in stable condition and receiving necessary medical care,” the ministry said, noting that Kuwait is in direct coordination with US authorities.
According to CNN, citing videos geolocated by its correspondents, there appeared to be a fighter jet going down in a fiery tailspin before crashing near a US air base in Kuwait. According to CNN’s analysis, the aircraft resembled an F-15E strike fighter.
Footage circulating online suggested the jet came down within about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) of the Ali Al Salem Air Base, a key US military installation in the country. One video showed a pilot parachuting safely to the ground before the aircraft crashed.
The cause of the crashes remains unclear. US Central Command and the White House have been contacted for comment but have yet to issue an official response.
The incidents occurred against the backdrop of heightened military activity in the Gulf region amid the expanding conflict involving Iran. Smoke was reportedly seen in areas surrounding the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait, further underscoring the tense security situation.
It is rare for multiple US fighter aircraft to crash overseas within a short period, and such incidents typically trigger formal investigations.
In 2024, a US Navy ship mistakenly fired on an F/A-18 operating from the USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea. Both Navy pilots safely ejected, and the incident was subsequently investigated.
The US military maintains a significant presence across the Middle East. In recent weeks, assets deployed by United States Central Command have included F-18s, F-16s, F-22s, F-35s, A-10 attack aircraft, MQ-9 Reaper drones, refueling aircraft, Navy aircraft carriers and guided-missile destroyers.
According to a CENTCOM update released Sunday, more than 1,000 targets have been struck so far, focusing primarily on military infrastructure such as command and control centers, Iranian naval assets, and facilities linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
