Black smoke rose from the US embassy in Kuwait, while Kuwait mistakenly shot down US warplanes, causing no casualties, as Iran pressed on with a third day of retaliation.
A US base and a power station were also targeted in what was the most dramatic escalation for the small Gulf country in decades.
Blasts also rang out over the Gulf cities of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha and Manama as Iran targeted the United States’ allies after the killing of its supreme leader in US-Israeli strikes.
The US embassy in Kuwait did not announce it had been hit but issued a security alert urging people to stay away.
“There is a continuing threat of missile and UAV (drone) attacks over Kuwait. Do not come to the embassy,” the statement said, adding, “US embassy personnel are sheltering in place.”
The Iranian attacks have so far killed five people in the Gulf, according to authorities, including one person in Kuwait.
F-15E Strike Eagles
Three F-15E Strike Eagles were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defences late on Sunday night, the US Central Command said.
“During active combat that included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones, the US Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defences,” CENTCOM said, adding that all six aircrew ejected and were safe.
“Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defence forces and their support in this ongoing operation,” it added.
According to a TRT World correspondent in Tehran, Iran, state TV says a US F-15 jet in Kuwait was downed after Iranian air defence fire.
Earlier in the day, widely circulated social media footage showed what appears to be a US F-15 warplane crashing in Kuwait.
Footage, widely shared on social media, appears to show a warplane, believed to be an F-15 belonging to the US, going down.
The footage includes images purportedly showing a pilot, who descended by parachute, being taken in a civilian vehicle.
In northern Kuwait, smoke billowed over a power station.
An energy ministry spokesperson said a fuel container at the station had been hit by shrapnel as air defences intercepted drones, causing a limited fire.
Separately, Iran’s army said it targeted the Ali Al Salem air base hosting US troops in Kuwait, as well as vessels in the Indian Ocean, firing 15 cruise missiles.
Also, shrapnel fell at the Mina Al Ahmadi refinery, one of Kuwait’s biggest, injuring two workers but not disrupting production, the Kuwait National Petroleum Company said.
Sirens sounded over Kuwait City to warn of incoming strikes. An unspecified number of drones were intercepted at dawn, the interior ministry said
