A dramatic new video has captured the harrowing moment a downed U.S. pilot, stranded after ejecting from his aircraft, is confronted and threatened with a metal pipe.
The footage, which has been widely circulated on social media, shows the tense standoff, which took place after a U.S. F-15 was shot down over Kuwait on Monday.
It was one of three U.S. jets accidentally shot down over the country by Kuwaiti air defenses amid President Donald Trump’s so-called Operation Epic Fury in the Middle East.
In the video, a pilot is seen being approached by angry locals, one of whom is holding a metal bar.
“Back up. Stop!,” the pilot shouts as the men approach him, appearing to think the airman is Iranian.
He then repeatedly shouts “easy” before he yells “I’m American” and gets on his knees to surrender.
The men then walk away from the pilot.
U.S. Central Command said on Monday that all six pilots who were aboard the downed aircrafts “ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition.”
Kuwait’s Ministry of Defense said it is coordinating with the U.S. to investigate the incident.
It came after U.S. and Israeli forces launched a major unprovoked coordinated air campaign against Iran over the weekend, marking a significant escalation in the region.
Trump, who returned to office promising to end America’s so-called “forever wars,” has sought to justify the strikes by arguing Tehran had rebuffed efforts to curb its nuclear program despite saying a year ago that initial strikes on Iran had “completely and totally obliterated” the country’s nuclear enrichment facilities.
Iran has since launched retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, including missile and drone strikes on U.S. bases and neighboring countries hosting American forces like UAE, Bahrain, Israel, Qatar, and Kuwait.
Six U.S. service members have been confirmed dead in the U.S.-Iran conflict. According to CNN, they were killed when an airstrike hit a makeshift operations center in Kuwait on Sunday.
A source told CNN there was no warning of the attack, and no siren was activated to alert troops to evacuate amid the incoming projectile.
U.S. Central Command said 18 troops have also been seriously wounded, with others suffering minor shrapnel wounds and concussions.
Over the weekend, Trump warned that there are likely to be more deaths of U.S. troops in the conflict with Iran.
“Sadly, there will likely be more before it ends,” he said.
In Iran, 555 people have died. There have been no reports of any casualties in other countries.
