US says 3 jets downed by ´friendly fire´ in Kuwait, Iran says shoots down 1 jet

The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Monday that three U.S. F-15 Eagle Strike fighter jets crashed over Kuwait after being hit by "friendly fire," while Iran's armed forces said it shot down one, reported Xinhua.

Iran's armed forces said in a statement that it shot down a U.S. F-15 Eagle Strike fighter jet in Kuwait.

It added that the U.S. fighter jet, "which sought to attack Iran," was brought down by the Iranian air defense forces, noting that the warplane crashed in Kuwait's territory.

In a statement posted on its official account, CENTCOM said that during active combat involving Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones, the U.S. Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defense systems.

All six crew members safely ejected by parachute and were successfully recovered in stable condition, the statement said.

Kuwaiti Defense Ministry spokesperson Col. Staff Saud Al-Atwan said that relevant authorities are continuing investigations to determine the cause of the crash.

Earlier, several videos circulated on social media appeared to show two burning warplanes descending in spirals before crashing in a remote area. Other footage showed a pilot being placed into a vehicle, apparently for transport to the hospital.

Since early Monday morning, air raid sirens have sounded across Kuwait, accompanied by explosions, after which the Kuwaiti military announced intercepting several hostile aerial targets, with no casualties reported.

On Saturday morning, joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with some of the leader's family members, senior military commanders and civilians.

Iran responded through several waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. bases across the Middle East.