Overview
- President Trump played down the loss, calling it "a little bit of mishap" and crediting Kuwait’s U.S.-made Patriot air-defense missiles.
- The U.S. military has confirmed Kuwaiti forces shot down three F-15s by mistake during Operation Epic Fury, and all six crew members were recovered in stable condition.
- Defence analysts disputed the missile claim and said verified video indicates an air-to-air mistake by Kuwaiti fighter jets that misidentified the U.S. aircraft.
- The remarks drew sharp pushback on social media, where users said the phrasing minimized the loss of aircraft and the danger to the pilots.
- The comments came as outlets reported thousands of U.S. Marines moving into the region and Trump said he would hold off on threatened strikes on Iran’s power stations.