Iran-Backed Militias Suspected in Drone Strike Killing 3 US Soldiers in Jordan
Three American soldiers were killed and dozens injured in a drone strike in northeast Jordan on Sunday, according to the United States military. These were the first US fatalities following months of attacks on American bases in the region. President Joe Biden accused Iran-backed militias of orchestrating the strike, vowing to “hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner of our choosing.
“We know it was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq,” the president added.
US officials are working to identify the specific armed group behind the attack, having already determined that it was an Iran-aligned entity.
Omar Abu Layla, head of the Europe-based Deir Ezzor 24 media outlet, informed The Associated Press that fearing US retaliation, Iran-backed fighters in east Syria have started evacuating their posts. He added that the Syrian territory in question is dominated by the Mayadeen and Boukamal militias.
US officials familiar with the situation reported that a large, one-way drone struck the residential area of Tower 22 in Jordan, a minor military outpost near the Syrian border primarily used for advising and assisting Jordanian armed forces.
“Officials confirm that three US Army personnel were killed, with at least 34 others wounded. Three of the wounded service members have been medically evacuated for intensive treatment.
The deaths of the three American servicemembers could escalate hostilities in a region already fraught with tension, including the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, cross-border skirmishes along the Lebanese border, and continued Houthi attacks on commercial vessels off the Yemeni coast.
Since Hamas’s October 7 attack, there have been 158 recorded attacks against US bases in the Middle East as of Friday. While US officials report that the frequent missile and drone attacks have largely failed to cause significant damage or injuries, the reasons why Sunday’s strike evaded US air defenses remain unclear.
