US fighter jets crash over Kuwait as Iran rejects negotiations

(NewsNation) — As conflict widens across the Middle East, the U.S. military said Monday that Kuwait “mistakenly shot down” three American fighter jets during a combat mission as Iran attacked the country. U.S. Central Command said the combat included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones — marking the first time Iran’s aging combat fleet has been directly involved in the war. “The U.S. Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses,” U.S. military officials said. “All six aircrew ejected safely, have been recovered, and are in stable condition. Kuwait has acknowledged the incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defense forces and their support in this ongoing operation.” According to military officials, at 11:03 p.m. EST Sunday, three U.S. F-15 Strike Eagles went down over Kuwait in what appears to have been a friendly fire incident. The cause remains under investigation. Separately, the U.S. Embassy compound was struck shortly after officials warned Americans in the area to take cover and urged others to stay away. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. Multiple airstrikes hit Tehran on Monday as senior Iranian official Ali Larijani vowed on social media that “we will not negotiate with the United States.” Larijani’s comments came in response to reports that talks with Washington could resume following weekend operations in Iran. In another post, he referenced American casualties from the operation, which left three U.S. service members dead and five wounded. “Trump plunged the region into chaos with his ‘delusional fantasies’ and now fears more American troop casualties,” Larijani wrote. “Today, the Iranian nation is defending itself. The armed forces of Iran did not initiate the aggression.” Israel and the U.S. bombed Iranian missile sites and targeted its navy, claiming to have destroyed its headquarters and multiple warships. The Iranian Red Crescent Society said at least 555 people have been killed in Iran since the start of the U.S.-Israeli campaign, with more than 130 cities struck. Eleven people have been killed in Israel and 31 in Lebanon, according to authorities.