The U.S. military said Monday that Kuwait “mistakenly shot down” thee American F-15E Strike Eagles during a combat mission as Iran attacked the country.
The U.S. military’s Central Command said the combat included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones — the first time Iran’s aging combat fleet has been engaged in the war.
“The U.S. Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses,” it said. “All six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are 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.”
It’s one of several military developments since a U.S. strike on Iran.
A bomb-carrying drone boat struck a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Monday, killing one mariner on board, Oman said.
The state-run Oman News Agency reported the attack off the coast of Muscat, the sultanate’s capital. It identified the vessel as the MKD VYOM. It said the dead crew member was from India.
Iran has been threatening vessels approaching the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, and is believed to have launched multiple attacks after Israel and the U.S. started a major airstrike campaign targeting the Islamic Republic.
Traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz has sharply dropped.
Ship-tracking platform MarineTraffic.com said that transit through the chokepoint fell by approximately 70% since Saturday, when the U.S. and Israel launched a major attack on Iran. It noticed changes in vessels’ navigation in the past three days, including “U-turns, idling, reduced speeds, and last-minute diversions.”
Israel’s rescue services said at least 15 people were wounded Monday by Iranian missiles in the southern city of Beer Sheba.
One person was moderately wounded and 14 lightly, and searches are ongoing for additional victims. Several missile barrages targeted Israel from Iran on Monday.
QatarEnergy said Monday it will stop production of liquified natural gas as the Mideast war rages, taking one of the world’s top suppliers off the market.
The state-owned firm blamed the war for the decision. It offered no timeline for restoring its production.
Oil prices already have risen over the war.
