Three American service members had been killed and “many” had been wounded in a drone strike in Jordan, President Joe Biden mentioned in a press release Sunday. He attributed the assault to Iran-backed militia teams.
They had been the primary U.S. fatalities in months of strikes in opposition to American forces throughout the Center East by Iranian-backed militias amid the Israel-Hamas battle in Gaza, rising the chance of escalation. U.S. officers had been nonetheless working to conclusively establish the exact group answerable for the assault, however have assessed that one in every of a number of Iranian-backed teams are accountable.
Biden mentioned america “will maintain all these accountable to account at a time and in a way our selecting.”
There was no fast response from Jordan, a kingdom bordering Iraq, Israel, the Palestinian territory of the West Financial institution, Saudi Arabia and Syria.
U.S. troops lengthy have used Jordan as a basing level, and the assault passed off in northeast Jordan close to the Syrian border. U.S. Central Command mentioned 25 service members had been injured the assault along with the three killed.
Some 3,000 American troops usually are stationed in Jordan.
Jordanian state tv quoted Muhannad Mubaidin, a authorities spokesman, as insisting the assault occurred exterior of the dominion throughout the border in Syria. The conflicting data couldn’t be instantly reconciled.
Since Israel’s battle on Hamas within the Gaza Strip started, U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria have confronted drone and missile assaults on their bases. The assault on Jordan marks the primary focusing on American troops in Jordan throughout the battle.
Biden, who was in Columbia, South Carolina, on Sunday, was briefed by Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin, nationwide safety adviser Jake Sullivan, and principal deputy nationwide safety adviser Jon Finer, White Home press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre mentioned.
Syria remains to be within the midst of a civil battle and lengthy has been a launch pad for Iranian-backed forces there, together with the Lebanese militia Hezbollah. Iraq has a number of Iranian-backed Shiite militias working there as effectively.
Jordan, a staunch Western ally and an important energy in Jerusalem for its oversight of holy websites there, is suspected of launching airstrikes in Syria to disrupt drug smugglers, together with one which killed 9 folks earlier this month.
