Details are very limited at this time, but an F-15 crashed in the Middle East. Online accounts claimed the incident occurred over Kuwait. Video shows the plane spinning horizontally with its vertical tail missing and the tail on fire before crashing into the ground as it caught fire. At least one crew member ejected safely.
Please see bottom of article for latest updates.
Unconfirmed reports suggest it was a friendly fire incident, but we have been unable to confirm this or who the aircraft belonged to. The Israeli Air Force or the U.S. Air Force is highly active in the region to gain access to Iran (mainly through eastern Iraq) and defend against incoming drones. Both countries have F-15 fighter jets. Saudi Arabia and Qatar also have F-15 aircraft flying in the area. It appears the aircraft involved may be a derivative of the Strike Eagle, flown by all listed countries, but this is currently unconfirmed. Israel and Saudi Arabia also fly single-seat F-15A/Cs. No USAF F-15Cs are deployed to the Central Command area of responsibility.
Footage of an F-15 crashing from the skies over Kuwait this morning in an apparent “friendly fire” incident involving the U.S. Air Force. pic.twitter.com/GQvryfJ4C4
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 2, 2026
One video shows a crew member lying on the ground and standing near a parachute without any visible insignia on his uniform. Another photo shows him or another crew member in the back seat of an SUV in relatively good condition, at least from the outside.
The pilot of an American F-15 fighter jet that crashed due to friendly fire over Kuwait not long ago is still alive.
He was deported and is now being cared for by a group of Kuwaitis pic.twitter.com/mmAAFeZyl0— NationSnap (@NationSnapIndia) March 2, 2026
The battlefield space is extremely complex and the threat from friendly fire is great Very This is true considering how many missiles and drones Iran is firing west, how much damage those weapons can do, and all the tactical aircraft flying in and out. It was unclear whether the incident was related to Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia saying they might join the fighting, even in a defensive manner. Doing so is more complicated than it sounds, and the United States and Israel will likely work to ensure that this does not happen, as deconfliction of airspace and the inclusion of other allies in a carefully crafted battle plan is extremely challenging and risky at this stage. This is exactly what I mentioned on X earlier tonight before this incident happened.
Easier said than done. They have very capable aircraft, but deconflicting air operations and changing plans could be more trouble than it’s worth and pose risks, at least at this stage. https://t.co/uhKS4CwT7L
— Tyler Rogoway (@Aviation_Intel) March 2, 2026
At the same time, catastrophic mechanical failures can occur. We just don’t know what’s going on at this point.
If this was a U.S. Air Force or Indian Air Force jet, it would be the first known coalition aircraft to be lost in the war.
Again, details can and likely will change as we learn more about what happened and who was involved.
We have reached out to Central Command for more information.
Update: 3:00 a.m. ET —
Kuwait’s Ministry of Defense issued a statement saying that multiple aircraft were involved and all crew members were safe. It’s unclear what exactly happened:
A spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense said that multiple US military aircraft crashed this morning and it was confirmed that the crews were completely safe. He explained that the relevant departments immediately launched search and rescue procedures, evacuated and transferred the crew to the hospital, checked their health conditions and provided necessary medical care, and their current condition is stable. The official spokesperson added that direct coordination with US friendly forces regarding the incident had been carried out and joint technical measures had been taken. He confirmed that relevant departments are following up on the matter. Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the incident, with calls for information to be obtained from official sources. “
Bali 7
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— Kuwait Army – নানা (@KuwaitArmyGHQ) March 2, 2026
Update: 2:42 a.m. ET —
The crewmember’s helmet decoration appears to match exactly that of the 335th Fighter Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina, making it a U.S. Air Force F-15E.
Update: 2:02 a.m. ET —
More videos and images are emerging, but we are unable to verify them, so they must be considered unverified.
A video shows the moment the F-15 was allegedly hit or exploded in some way. Again, we can’t confirm the authenticity of the clip:
Other stills purportedly show two other crew members on the ground, including a female pilot and a male with blood on his hands. There were claims that two planes were shot down, not one. Again, this should be considered unconfirmed at this time.
Iran just shot down two American F-15 fighter jets.
What’s going on?
I heard one of the pilots didn’t make it.
These are not accidental injuries.. https://t.co/NeR9EALdA1
— Ariel Cohen (@ArielCohen46) March 2, 2026
Another image purports to show the moment a crew member is approached by on-site officers who ask him to surrender. The life raft with ejection seat can be seen in the foreground:
Contact the author: Tyler@TWZ.com