An American pilot appeared to beam at Kuwaiti rescuers after being accidentally shot down by the country’s air defenses during assaults on Iran, purported footage shows.
The pilot was seen grinning and standing easily on two feet after apparently ejecting from her F-15 jet following the case of friendly fire Sunday, according to the clip which has gone viral online.
“You’re fine? Really?” a man shouted while approaching the brave pilot. “You need something to help you?”
The pilot confirmed she was OK, before the man assured her she was safe.
“Thank you for helping us,” he said.
The pilot then raised her hands, as if to say, “You’re welcome.”
That footage remains unconfirmed, but it was one of several videos that have emerged purporting to show some of the six US service members who ejected after three F-15s were mistakenly shot down by Kuwait.
All six of the troops landed safely after they ejected, US forces have confirmed.
The planes were “mistakenly” downed by Kuwaiti defenses, the United States’ Central Command confirmed, as the country was responding to Iranian strikes in retaliation for the joint US-Israeli attacks on Tehran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and over 40 of his top officials Saturday.
Iran has been slinging rockets and drones at US-interests and western-aligned nations since the attacks.
The US and Israel, meanwhile, have been pressing the attack. President Trump cautioned it could be weeks before his campaign to neutralize the Iranian regime ended.
At least six US service members have been killed in the fray so far, with the president also warning that casualties were only expected to increase.
