Three American service members were killed and several others wounded in a drone strike in Jordan, which President Joe Biden has attributed to Iran-backed militia groups. This marks the first U.S. fatalities in the ongoing strikes against American forces in the Middle East by Iranian-backed militias during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. While U.S. officials are working to identify the specific group responsible, they have assessed that one of the Iranian-backed groups is to blame.
The attack took place in northeast Jordan near the Syrian border, where U.S. troops have been stationed for years. In addition to the three service members killed, 25 were injured in the strike according to U.S. Central Command. Typically, around 3,000 American troops are deployed in Jordan.
The Jordanian government has not yet issued a response to the attack. Jordan borders Iraq, Israel, the West Bank, Saudi Arabia, and Syria, and its state television quoted a government spokesman as claiming that the attack occurred across the border in Syria. However, this conflicting information has not been resolved.
Recent weeks have seen U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria face drone and missile attacks on their bases amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. But the attack in Jordan marks the first time American troops have been targeted in the country during the ongoing war.
President Biden, who was in South Carolina at the time of the attack, received briefings from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, and Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer.
Syria remains embroiled in a civil war and has long served as a launchpad for Iranian-backed forces, including the Lebanese militia Hezbollah. Iraq also houses multiple Iranian-backed Shiite militias.
Jordan is a key ally to the West and has significant influence over holy sites in Jerusalem. The country has been suspected of launching airstrikes in Syria to disrupt drug smugglers, including an attack earlier this month that resulted in the deaths of nine individuals.
The United States has vowed to hold those responsible for the drone attack to account at a time and in a manner our choosing, according to President Biden. As the situation develops, the international community will be closely watching for any further escalation or retaliation.
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