Several US warplanes crash in Kuwait, Iran rejects talks with Washington
Kuwait’s Ministry of Defence says that “several US military aircraft crashed on Monday morning”, and that the pilots on board remained safe. Meanwhile, Iran’s retaliatory operations are continuing, and on Monday missiles and drones were launched at Israel and at several Gulf cities, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Kuwait. At the same time, Iranian leader Ali Larijani rejected reports suggesting that Iran was holding or seeking negotiations with the United States.
Israeli defence minister claims strike on Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has claimed that the head of Hezbollah, Naim Qassem, was targeted in an Israeli attack.
He said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and he had instructed the Israel Defense Forces to take strong action against Hezbollah.
Verified footage shows a US fighter jet crashing near Kuwait City amid Iranian strikes
Verified footage shows the moment a US fighter jet falls from the sky and crashes into the ground near Kuwait City. The scene was filmed close to the western district of Al Jahra. Earlier, the Kuwait Ministry of Defence said that “several” US military aircraft had crashed in Kuwait, but confirmed that all crew members ejected safely.
The aircraft seen in the video is most likely an F-15E Strike Eagle, or a variant of it. The jet appears to enter a dangerous flat spin before suffering a serious failure, although the exact cause is still unknown. So far, United States Central Command has issued no statement. Kuwaiti officials say the crashes happened during intense Iranian attacks on the country, and that US pilots managed to eject in time. The aircraft involved are believed to have been taking part in defensive air operations to intercept Iranian missiles and drones. It remains unclear whether the jet that came down near the Kuwait–Iraq border was hit by enemy fire, friendly fire, or suffered a technical malfunction. In an active combat environment, however, where the airspace is filled with live weapons and debris, the risk of such incidents rises sharply.
China says it was not given advance notice of attacks on Iran
China said on Monday that United States did not give Beijing any prior notification before launching attacks on Iran, and called on all sides to halt military operations and reduce tensions. Speaking at a regular press briefing in Beijing, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China said, “I can confirm that China was not informed in advance.” The spokesperson added that the United States and Iran had carried out military actions against Iran without authorisation from the United Nations Security Council, calling this a violation of international law. China said the fighting is affecting neighbouring countries and has caused deep concern, stressing that the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of all Gulf states must be fully respected. The spokesperson said China is ready to work with the international community to promote stability in the Middle East and to resolve disputes through dialogue and negotiations. When asked about reports of a possible deal between China and Iran for the CM-302 supersonic anti-ship missile, the spokesperson denied that any such agreement was under way.
