Biden Says US Will Retaliate After Drone Strike Kills Three US Troops In Jordan

Following an overnight drone strike in northeastern Jordan, close to the Syrian border, that claimed the lives of three American soldiers and injured numerous more, President Joe Biden declared on Sunday that the US “shall respond.”

Following months of attacks by these groups against US soldiers around the Middle East during the Israel-Hamas conflict, Mr. Biden blamed Iran-backed militias for the first US fatalities.

A moment of silence was requested by Mr. Biden, who was traveling through South Carolina, during an engagement in the banquet hall of a Baptist church.

US officials were attempting to definitively identify the group behind the attack due to the growing possibility of military escalation in the region, but they have determined that one or more factions sponsored by Iran were the culprit.

“We had a tough day last night in the Middle East. We lost three brave souls in an attack on one of our bases,” he said. After the moment of silence, Mr. Biden added, “And we shall respond”.

The US “will hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner (of) our choosing,” according to a prepared statement from Mr. Biden.

“We will take all necessary actions to defend the United States, our troops, and our interests,” stated Lloyd Austin, the secretary of defense.

Fearing US bombings, rebels backed by Iran in east Syria started to leave their positions, according to Omar Abu Layla, an activist based in Europe and the director of the Deir Ezzor 24 media station. The regions are Mayadeen and Boukamal’s strongholds.

A US official has stated that there could be more soldiers injured in the attack by a one-way attack drone.

According to the official, a massive drone struck the base, which two other American officials recognized as Tower 22—an installation in Jordan.

It is mostly used by soldiers on the advise-and-assist mission for Jordanian forces, and it is located near the Syrian border. US engineering, aviation, logistical, and security personnel are stationed at the modest base, which Jordan withholds information about from the public.

Only 12 miles to the north of Tower 22 lies the US military facility at al-Tanf in Syria.

The US soldiers in Syria, especially those at al-Tanf, which is close to the junction of the borders with Iraq, Syria, and Jordan, rely heavily on the logistical hub provided by the Jordanian installation.

A government spokesperson named Muhannad Mubaidin was mentioned by Jordanian state television as stating that the incident took place in Syria on the other side of the border.

Jordan, a country bordering Saudi Arabia, Syria, Israel, the Palestinian West Bank, and Iraq, has long served as a base for US soldiers.

According to US Central Command, there were three fatalities and 34 injuries. Usually, the US has 3,000 soldiers stationed in Jordan.

Iranian-backed militias have used a variety of weaponry, including drones, rockets, mortars, and ballistic missiles, to attack US military positions more than 60 times in Iraq and more than 90 times in Syria since the start of the Gaza War on October 7.

During the Israel-Hamas conflict, Sunday’s attack was the first to target American troops in Jordan and the first to claim American life.

During the attacks, numerous US servicemen suffered injuries, some of which included traumatic brain injuries.

The militias have declared their intention to drive US personnel out of the area and claimed that their attacks are payback for Washington’s backing of Israel in the Gaza conflict.