Washington – Three US service members had been killed and dozens of others had been injured in an unmanned drone assault on a base in Jordan on Sunday, President Biden and the US army mentioned.
In an announcement, the president blamed “radical Iranian-backed militant teams working in Syria and Iraq.” Mr Biden mentioned the assault happened at a base in northeastern Jordan, a US ally, near the border with Syria. A US official mentioned the assault happened at an outpost referred to as Tower 22.
The U.S. Central Command, which oversees forces within the Center East, initially estimated the variety of wounded at 25, however two U.S. officers quickly mentioned that quantity had risen to greater than 30. CENTCOM mentioned the identities of the lifeless could be stored secret for twenty-four hours. their households had been notified.
The assault was believed to be the deadliest assault on US army personnel since then 13 People had been killed in a suicide bombing in Kabul because the US withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021.
The drone strike comes as tensions between the US and Iranian allies within the area have risen to precarious ranges in current weeks, elevating the danger that Israel’s conflict with Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza might spiral right into a wider regional battle.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels started attacking ships within the Pink Sea in October to protest the conflict in Gaza. The US and its allies started airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen earlier this month, hoping to place an finish to the ship assaults. On Friday, Houthi militants launched a rocket at the united statesCarney, the primary time the group had focused an American warship. The destroyer shot down the missile with out damage.
The week earlier than, the US army mentioned there have been two Navy SEALs misplaced at sea after going overboard whereas attempting to board an Iranian ship delivering “superior typical weapons” to the Houthi rebels.
In his assertion on Sunday, Biden referred to as the assault in Jordan “despicable and utterly unjust,” pledging that the US will “maintain all these accountable accountable at a time and in a way of our selecting.” The White Home mentioned prime aides briefed the president on the assault on Sunday morning, and a US official mentioned a White Home assembly on a response is predicted later within the day.
Republicans in Congress reacted angrily to information of the assault and referred to as on the Biden administration to retaliate in opposition to Iran. Home Speaker Mike Johnson mentioned the administration should ship “a crystal-clear message world wide that assaults on our troops won’t be tolerated.” Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a outstanding Republican Social gathering protection hawk, mentioned the U.S. should strike “key targets” inside Iran itself to discourage future assaults.
“Contact Iran now,” Graham mentioned. “Hit them laborious.”
Margaret Brennan contributed reporting.