Following the killing of Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran claims it shot down a US F-15 fighter jet in Kuwait. The claim, from IRNA news agency, comes amid a widening West Asia conflict and US accusations of Iranian attacks on regional airports.
Iran Claims US F-15 Fighter Jet Downed in Kuwait
As conflict widens in West Asia in the wake of Ayatollah Khamenei’s killing in Israeli-US strikes on Saturday, Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) on Monday claimed that a US F-15 fighter jet was shot down in Kuwait on Monday morning.
Rewferring to local sources, IRNA shared a video clip which it claims to show the downing of the American F-15 fighter jet in Kuwait. “According to local sources, a US F-15 fighter jet was shot down in the skies above Kuwait earlier on Monday morning”, the post added.
US F-15 Fighter Jet Downed in Kuwait According to local sources, a US F-15 fighter jet was shot down in the skies above Kuwait earlier on Monday morning. pic.twitter.com/UIyTkZllEX — IRNA News Agency ☫ (@IrnaEnglish) March 2, 2026
US Accuses Iran of Targeting Civilian Areas
This comes as earlier, the US CENTCOM shared a post on X claiming Iran to have targeted several locations across the region, including, “Dubai International Airport; Kuwait International Airport; Zayed International Airport, Dubai ; Erbil International Airport, Iraq; Port of Dubai” and residential areas in Israel, Bahrain and Qatar.
🚫 During a UN Security Council meeting yesterday, the Iranian Ambassador to the U.N. stated their response has been directed solely and exclusively at the bases and assets of the United States. LIE. ✅The Iranian Regime is actively targeting civilians and has attacked more than… pic.twitter.com/4H5yZM9lge — U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 1, 2026
Regional Escalation and Kuwait’s Response
Al Jazeera further reported on Monday of new explosions in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and the sound of lound bangs in Doha. Arab news reported that Iranian missiles and drones had also targeted Kuwait and Bahrain.
An eyewitness also told news agency Reuters that smoke was seen rising from near US embassy in Kuwait.
Earlier in the day, the Kuwait Air Defence Force shot down “a number of hostile aerial targets” on Monday early morning (local time), according to the Kuwait Army.
In a post of X, the Kuwait Army wrote, “The Official Spokesman for the Ministry of Defense stated that the Kuwaiti Air Defense Force confronted a number of hostile aerial targets at dawn today with efficiency and capability, as they were monitored and intercepted within the scope of operations in the central part of the country, as part of the complete readiness to protect the nation’s airspace, with no casualties recorded. He affirmed that the armed forces continue to carry out their duties and address any potential developments, ensuring the preservation of the country’s security and stability.”
Background: Khamenei’s Killing and Aftermath
The developments comes as Ali Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran on Monday firmly rejected that Iran would not negotiate with the United States.
The second meeting of the Provisional Leadership Council comes after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei was killed on Saturday in Israel-US strikes as a part of Operation Epic Fury/Roaring Lion.
After Khamenei’s killing, Trump again addressed the Iranian public on Saturday, calling for them to topple the government. “This will probably be your only chance for generations,” he said on Saturday after the US and Israeli attacks on Iran began.
The Provisional Leadership Council was formed shortly after Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei and top security officials were killed in the US and Israel’s ongoing attacks. The interim council, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, will oversee the country until a new supreme leader is elected.
Iranian state media say at least 201 people have been killed in the attacks across 24 provinces, as per Al Jazeera. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)