Pilots shot down by friendly fire in Kuwait already back to dropping bombs

Pilots shot down by friendly fire over Kuwait early in the war are already back in the fight, carrying out a bombing campaign over Iran’s capital city overnight.

“They never left the theater — all dropped bombs over Tehran last night” he said. “These men and women live the Iranian threat everyday.”

“These troops, they want to finish the fight for their kids and their grandkids. This is about history. This is about legacy. Success matters,” he added.

The friendly-fire incident occurred in the opening days of the conflict, when three US F-15E Strike Eagles were mistakenly shot down over Kuwait by allied air defenses during intense combat operations, according to earlier reports.

All six aircrew members aboard the aircraft safely ejected and were recovered in stable condition, US Central Command said at the time.

The shootdown happened as US and allied forces were responding to a barrage of Iranian aircraft, drones, and ballistic missiles in the region, creating a chaotic battlespace that officials said contributed to the misidentification.

Since then, Iran’s capabilities have been significantly degraded.

The incident remains under investigation, with US and Kuwaiti officials reviewing what went wrong in the crowded airspace.

Despite the setback, the pilots quickly returned to duty and have continued flying combat missions as the US presses its air campaign against Iran.

Hegseth said the warfighters’ experience allowed them to understand the true importance of their mission. “These men and women … know what a world looks like — what the world would look like if Iran had the most dangerous weapons in the world, a nuclear weapon,” he said.

“As President Trump has said time and time again for years and in this administration, Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb, and they won’t.”