Three American F-15 fighter jets participating in operations linked to the campaign against Iran were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses in a friendly fire incident, US Central Command confirmed early Monday.

According to a statement from CENTCOM, all six crew members aboard the aircraft successfully ejected and were recovered in stable condition.

“Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defense forces and their support in this ongoing operation,” Tampa, Fla.-based CENTCOM went on.

Video circulating online captured the dramatic crashes, which occurred shortly after what appeared to be an Iranian drone barrage struck the US Embassy compound in Kuwait City. Earlier, the embassy had issued a stark advisory to American citizens, instructing them to stay indoors, seek shelter, and “Do not come to the Embassy.”

Footage showed flames and heavy smoke billowing from within the diplomatic compound, though no immediate casualties were reported.

Kuwait, along with several other Gulf states neighboring Iran, has come under missile and drone fire from Tehran in recent days. The strikes appear aimed at pressuring the United States and Israel to halt a military campaign that has reportedly resulted in the deaths of dozens of senior Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Over the weekend, three US service members stationed in Kuwait with a logistics and supply unit were killed in an Iranian strike. They were the first American fatalities since the Pentagon launched the operation known as Operation Epic Fury.

CENTCOM said it would withhold the identities of service members who were killed until 24 hours after their families were notified.

Iranian retaliatory strikes have also targeted American military installations in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain, which hosts the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet. In addition to military targets, Tehran has directed attacks toward energy infrastructure across the region.

On Monday, Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura oil refinery was targeted by drones, according to a military spokesman quoted by the state-run Saudi Press Agency. Air defenses intercepted the aircraft before they reached their objective.

Videos posted online appeared to show dense black smoke rising near the refinery site following the incident. Even when drones are successfully shot down, falling debris can ignite fires and cause injuries on the ground.

Ras Tanura, located near Dammam in eastern Saudi Arabia, is among the largest oil refineries in the world, with the capacity to process more than 500,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Saudi state television reported that operations at the facility were temporarily halted as a precaution.

Earlier the same day, falling debris from intercepted drones struck Kuwait’s Ahmadi oil refinery, injuring two workers, according to the state-run KUNA news agency.

{Matzav.com}