Iran Claims F 15 Downed as Kuwait Confirms US Warplane Crashes
Iran claims it shot down an F 15 fighter jet as Kuwait confirms several US military aircraft crashed, though details remain unclear.
Iran on Monday claimed it had shot down an F 15 fighter jet as the conflict with United States backed Israel entered its third day, further destabilising West Asia.
Unverified visuals circulating online showed an F 15 spiralling downward in flames over Kuwaiti airspace. It was not immediately clear whether the aircraft belonged to the United States or Israel. Reports said both pilots ejected safely.
Kuwait’s Defence Ministry confirmed that several US military aircraft had crashed. A ministry spokesperson said search and rescue operations were launched in each case and all crew members were safely recovered. No official explanation was provided for the crashes.
There were also media reports of smoke seen near the US embassy in Kuwait. Neither Washington nor Tel Aviv has officially confirmed the reported downing of an aircraft.
The incident comes amid escalating hostilities following missile strikes by the United States and Israel on targets in Tehran and Iranian military bases over the weekend. Iran responded with missile and armed drone attacks on Tel Aviv and on American military installations across the region.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was reported killed on the first day of the strikes after missiles hit a compound in central Tehran. US President Donald Trump commented on the development on social media.
Explosions were reported on Monday across several Gulf cities as Iran continued strikes targeting Israel and US assets. Air raid sirens sounded in Jerusalem after the Israeli military said it had detected missiles launched from Iran.
The scale of attacks has intensified over the past 72 hours, with Iran backed Hezbollah also entering the conflict. Civilian infrastructure has been affected across the region.
Operations at Dubai International Airport were temporarily disrupted. A hotel in Dubai was reportedly hit by a missile, while Tehran alleged that a US Israel strike hit a school in Minab, resulting in significant casualties.
More than 200 casualties have been officially confirmed so far. Human rights groups monitoring the conflict have warned that the actual toll could be higher as fighting continues.