Three U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles were shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses in a friendly-fire incident late Sunday during the ongoing military campaign against Iran, according to U.S. Central Command. All six crew members safely ejected and were recovered, with reports indicating they are in stable condition. The incident occurred as the conflict expanded across the Gulf, with U.S. and Israeli forces conducting sustained strikes against Iranian military infrastructure.

Joint Chiefs Chair Details ‘Massive’ Multi-Domain Strike

Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine provided the most detailed account of the war against Iran yet from Washington, describing the operation as a ‘massive overwhelming attack across all domains of warfare.’ The campaign, now in its third day, began with a daylight strike by the Israeli Defense Forces, supported by U.S. intelligence. Caine noted that the U.S. Navy launched Tomahawk cruise missiles against Iranian naval forces along Iran’s southern flank, marking the first American shots fired in the conflict.

According to Caine, the U.S. has conducted more than 1,000 strikes in the first 24 hours of the operation, which has now reached 57 hours. The initial phase of the operation focused on degrading Iran’s command-and-control infrastructure, naval forces, missile sites, and intelligence networks, with the aim of ‘dazing and confusing’ Iranian forces.

Integrated Air Defense and Cyber Operations

Caine detailed an integrated air-defense fight in which ‘the defense of the region is not ours alone,’ with allies ‘surging in beside us.’ He confirmed the loss of three F-15Es but stated they were not the result of hostile enemy fire, adding that the incident remains under investigation. He also highlighted the role of coordinated space and cyber operations in disrupting Iranian communications and sensor networks, which have contributed to establishing local air superiority.

Central Command stated that the jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses. The cause of the incident is still under investigation, with additional details expected to be released as they become available. Kuwait has acknowledged the incident, though no official explanation has been provided yet.

U.S. Forces Delivering ‘Tens of Thousands’ of Ordnance

Caine noted that U.S. joint forces have launched hundreds of missions from land and sea, delivering ‘tens of thousands of pieces of ordnance’ and continuing to scale operations. Among the most significant elements of the operation were the B-2 Spirit bombers, which flew a 37-hour round-trip mission from the continental United States to strike underground facilities with precision penetrating munitions.

Caine described the operation as including ‘several combat firsts,’ though he declined to elaborate. He also sent a message to China and Russia, stating that the U.S. military can project power across all domains of warfare in a way no potential competitor can match.

Defensively, Caine confirmed that Patriot and THAAD batteries, along with Navy destroyers configured for ballistic-missile defense, have continued intercepting incoming threats. He said the integrated air and missile defense network is performing as intended.

Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth told the press that multiple agencies are monitoring the potential threats from Iranian ‘sleeper cells’ that may be on U.S. soil. While President Trump has suggested the operation may last about four weeks, Hegseth stated he would not set a time limit or define an exit strategy.

Britain, France, and Germany have signaled readiness to take defensive measures while urging a return to negotiations. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain approved a U.S. request to use British bases for limited defensive strikes against Iranian missile depots and launchers, and noted that British fighter jets are already participating in defensive operations and intercepting Iranian missiles.

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Starmer issued a joint warning that they could enable ‘necessary and proportionate defensive action’ to destroy Iran’s ability to fire missiles and drones ‘at their source.’ China has condemned the U.S. and Israeli strikes, calling for an immediate stop to military actions and a return to ‘dialogue and negotiation.’

One influential pro-Trump analysis argues that the war’s real strategic center is Beijing, not Tehran. Author Lee Smith, writing in Tablet, frames the conflict as part of a broader fight against a ‘China axis,’ suggesting that tariffs, sanctions, and military campaigns are being used as tools in a larger confrontation with China. Smith also quotes Donald Trump criticizing the 1970s opening to China, calling it ‘the worst thing Nixon did’ after Watergate.