March 02, (THEWILL) — Several United States fighter jets have crashed in Kuwait, the country’s military confirmed on Monday, as dramatic footage circulated online showing a warplane engulfed in flames before plunging to the ground.
In a statement posted on X, Kuwait’s Ministry of Defense disclosed that multiple aircraft were involved in the incident. The ministry said search and rescue teams were immediately deployed and successfully evacuated the crew members.
“Relevant authorities immediately initiated search and rescue procedures, whereby the crews were evacuated and transferred to the hospital to check on their health status and provide the necessary medical care, noting that their condition is stable,” the statement read.
The crash comes amid intensifying hostilities between the United States and Iran following recent U.S. strikes on Iranian targets. Tehran has since launched retaliatory missile attacks across parts of the Gulf region.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that at least three American service members have been killed in the ongoing operations and warned that the casualty toll could increase.
In a video message posted on Truth Social, Trump said there would “likely be more” casualties as the confrontation unfolds. Speaking to the Daily Mail, he suggested the conflict could last up to four weeks.
“It’s always been a four-week process. We figured it would be four weeks or so. It’s always been about a four-week process — as strong as it is, it’s a big country, it’ll take four weeks — or less,” he was quoted as saying.
Trump also indicated he remained open to renewed diplomatic talks with Iran but expressed uncertainty over the timing.
“I don’t know. They want to talk, but I said you should have talked last week, not this week,” he reportedly added.
Footage of the crash, widely shared on social media, appeared to show a twin-engine fighter jet descending rapidly before erupting in flames.
Analysis by CNN suggested the aircraft was an F-15E Strike Eagle, a long-range, high-speed combat aircraft first developed in the 1980s.
Although Kuwaiti authorities did not specify the exact location of the crash, geolocation data cited in media reports indicated it occurred roughly six miles from Ali Al Salem Air Base, a facility located about 23 miles from the Iraqi border.
The air base hosts a permanent U.S. military presence, including the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, which operates several F-15E fighter jets. The aircraft type played a significant role during the 1991 Gulf War and has remained stationed in Kuwait for regional security operations.
A Kuwaiti defense spokesperson said “direct coordination was conducted with the friendly U.S. forces regarding the circumstances of the incident, and joint technical measures were taken.”
Authorities said investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the crash, with further updates expected as more details emerge.
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