U.S. Military Jets Crash In Kuwait As War With Iran Escalates (Live)
Topline
The Kuwaiti government announced that several U.S. military aircraft crashed in the country on Monday, but all of their crew members have survived the incident as Iran retaliated against the U.S. and Israeli strikes on its territory by launching aerial attacks on U.S. allied Middle Eastern states like Kuwait, UAE and Qatar.
Smoke rises from a reported Iranian strike in the area where the US Embassy is located in Kuwait City.
AFP via Getty Images
Key Facts
In a statement the Kuwaiti Defense Ministry said relevant authorities immediately initiated search and rescue operations at the crash sites and the crews were successfully evacuated.
The announcement did not specify how many and what type of U.S. military aircrafts crashed on Monday, and it is unclear if they were shot down by Iran—which has been launching several projectiles at Kuwait.
The ministry The crew members were then “transferred to hospital to assess their condition and provide necessary medical care” and all of them were “stable.”
The statement said “relevant authorities are continuing their investigations to determine the causes of the accident.”
The U.S. military’s Central Command has not yet made any comments about the crashes.
What Do We Know About The U.s. Embassy In Kuwait?
According to the Associated Pressfire and smoke were seen rising from inside the U.S. Embassy compound in Kuwait after Iran carried out an aerial attack on the country. The Iranian strike was part of a retaliatory wave aimed at Middle Eastern states who are allied with the U.S. including Qatar, UAE and Saudi Arabia. It is unclear if an Iranian projectile struck the U.S. Embassy compound. In a statement on X, the embassy warned of a “continuing threat of missile and UAV attacks over Kuwait” and urged people “ Do not come to the Embassy. Take cover in your residence on the lowest available floor and away from windows. Do not go outside.” The three U.S. servicemembers who have died in the conflict so far were killed on a base in Kuwait, according to Reuters.
What Do We Know About Israel’s Strikes On Lebanon?
The Israeli military conducted strikes in Lebanon early on Monday, targeting the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, marking an expansion of its conflict against Tehran. In a statement announcing its strikes “Hezbollah targets across Lebanon”, the Israeli Defense Force said it was acting in response to “projectile fire toward northern Israel.” The Israeli military claimed Hezbollah was “operating on behalf of the Iranian regime,” and it was “opening fire against the Israeli civilians, and bringing ruin to Lebanon.” The strikes on Lebanon mark an end to a 2024 ceasefire brokered by the U.S. that had ended the previous conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. In a statement on XLebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the launching of rockets from his country’s territory, saying it undermines his government’s efforts to “keep Lebanon away from the dangerous military confrontations taking place in the region.” His statement also condemned the Israeli “aggressions on Lebanese territory” but warned that using Lebanon as a “platform for proxy wars” will expose the country to “dangers once more.”
What Has Trump Said About The Iran War?
Trump told the New York Times late on Sunday that he intends to continue the U.S. assault on Iranian territory for at least “four to five weeks.” He also claimed that it will not be difficult for the U.S. and Israeli military to maintain this level of intensity. In the interview, however, Trump did not offer any clear view on how regime change would be enacted in Iran and how power would be transferred to a new government. Earlier on Sunday, Trump acknowledged the death of three U.S. service members in the conflict and said there will “likely be more before it ends.” “That’s the way it is,” he added, noting that there will “likely be more, but we’ll do everything possible where that won’t be the case.”
