Three American fighter jets were destroyed on Monday during ongoing military operations linked to the Iran-Israel conflict, officials confirmed. The incident occurred on the third day of the war and is being described by the United States as a "friendly fire incident". No casualties were reported.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, a Kuwaiti F/A-18 Hornet aircraft mistakenly shot down three F-15 Strike Eagle fighter jets operated by the United States. The reason behind the misfire has not yet been officially determined. A full investigation is currently underway.

Incident termed 'friendly fire'

The US Central Command, or United States Central Command (CENTCOM), said in a statement that the incident was a "friendly fire incident". An American military officer stated that the Kuwaiti pilot fired three missiles, each targeting one of the three American jets.

Kuwait has said the missiles were launched to intercept Iranian ballistic missiles and warplanes amid the escalating conflict. However, the missiles mistakenly struck the American aircraft instead.

Also Read | Mary L. Trump condemns deaths of 165 Iranian schoolgirls: 'I defy anybody to justify this'

All six crew members aboard the three jets were safely evacuated. Officials confirmed that there were no injuries or fatalities.

This marks the first reported destruction of American warplanes since the launch of Operation Fury on February 28.

Iran claims responsibility

Meanwhile, Iran has claimed that its military forces destroyed the three American jets during a missile attack. Iranian authorities said the aircraft were shot down as part of their ongoing operations in the conflict.

Also Read | UK halts student visas for THESE four countries over asylum system misuse

However, both the United States and Kuwait have rejected Iran's claim. US officials said the matter is being jointly investigated by American military authorities to determine the exact sequence of events.

Further details are awaited as the investigation continues.