The US military has said that three US fighter jets crashed due to an apparent friendly fire incident. Kuwaiti air defense accidentally shot down the F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet late Sunday night ET time, the statement said.
A statement from US Central Command said, “During active combat, which included strikes from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones, a US Air Force fighter jet was accidentally shot down by Kuwaiti air defense. All six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition. Kuwait acknowledges this incident, and we thank the Kuwaiti Defense Forces for their efforts and support in this ongoing operation.” Thankful for the support.”
Earlier, Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters had announced that the Iranian air defense system had shot down three American fighter planes.
On the other hand, Oman’s Maritime Security Center said in a statement on X that in the Gulf of Oman, northwest of Sultan Qaboos Port, an unmanned boat targeted an oil tanker. He said that 21 crew members had to be evacuated after the tanker caught fire, but an Indian crew member died in the explosion in the engine room.
The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker MKD YOM was carrying about 59,463 metric tons of cargo, the center said. A ship of the Royal Navy of Oman is monitoring the condition of the damaged tanker and is giving necessary warnings to the ships passing through the same sea area.
It comes amid tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, through which Iran has warned ships not to pass in the face of US-Israeli attacks, and amid concerns about an increased security threat to commercial shipping in the area.