Moment US jet pilot is taken into custody after being shot down in Kuwaiti 'friendly fire' incident
Footage shows American pilot picked up by locals after friendly fire incident over Kuwait
A US fighter pilot has been taken into custody by Kuwaiti forces after three American jets were shot down by Kuwaiti air defences in an apparent friendly fire incident.
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The pilot and his weapons systems officer (WSO) were discovered by locals shortly after the jet was taken down and were later handed over to Kuwaiti authorities.
The pair were then transferred to official facilities for safety checks and medical evaluation.
Video footage published on X purportedly shows the pilot on the ground moments after the jet was taken down, and later in the boot of a car.
Officials from both the US and Kuwait said the handover was carried out smoothly and both airmen remained in stable condition, with no reports of serious injuries.
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The jets, flying in support of Operation Epic Fury, went down over Kuwait at approximately 11:03pm Eastern Time.
In a statement, US Central Command confirmed that all six aircrew had ejected safely, and were in stable condition after being recovered.
A Kuwaiti Defence Ministry spokesman confirmed multiple US military planes crashed in the early hours of Monday morning.
The US military said: "Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defense forces and their support in this ongoing operation."
It added that the exact cause of the incident remains under investigation.
Video footage on X shows a US F-15E Strike Eagle engulfed in flames and spiralling downward around six miles from the US Ali Al Salem Air Base.
The jets have an estimated cost of $30 million each.
In a statement published to X, the Kuwaiti defence ministry confirmed the incident, adding that all crew members had been transferred to hospital and were in 'stable' condition.
It said search-and-rescue operations were launched immediately following the crashes and that crews were swiftly evacuated.
Three US soldiers have been killed and five others injured since operations began on Saturday morning.
US President Donald Trump has vowed to avenge their deaths, while warning that further casualties are likely before the conflict ends.
The war widened on Monday after Israel launched strikes on Lebanon in response to retaliatory fire by Hezbollah, following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.
