Three American soldiers were killed after a drone attack on an army base in Jordan. US President Joe Biden is threatening retaliation: he suspects that “radical Iranian-backed militant groups” active in Syria and Iraq are behind the attack.
“Make no doubt about it: we will hold all those responsible accountable, at a time and in a manner of our choosing,” Biden said. They are still gathering the facts about the attack. Iran denied involvement. But pro-Iranian militias claimed responsibility.
Several injured people were evacuated for further treatment
The US military’s regional command, CENTCOM, said the deadly attack took place on Sunday at a US base in northeastern Jordan. At least 34 people were injured, but that number is expected to change as more people require treatment, the statement said. Eight people were evacuated from Jordan for further treatment but were in stable condition.
Biden: “Fight, we won’t give up”
Biden emphasized on Sunday that the US stands together “in the fight against terrorism.” “It’s a fight we won’t give up.” “Today, Americans’ hearts are heavy,” Biden said. “These military members embodied the best our nation has to offer: steadfast in their courage. Fearless in their duty. Unyielding in their commitment to our country.” During a campaign appearance on Sunday afternoon (local time) in the state of South Carolina, Biden reiterated that the US would respond to the attack. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he was “outraged and deeply saddened”.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella organization of hardline militant groups backed by Iran, claimed responsibility for attacks on three bases, including one on the Jordan-Syrian border. However, Iran’s mission to the United Nations said the government in Tehran was not involved in the attack on three US soldiers in northeastern Jordan, near the Syrian border.
According to American media, it is the first time since the start of the Gaza war that American soldiers have been killed in an enemy attack in the Middle East. The security situation across the region is tense due to the war that started with the Islamist Hamas attack on Israel on October 7. The US has repeatedly stressed that it fears the conflict in the Middle East could escalate into a regional war.
Hamas official: “Message to the US government”
A senior Iranian-backed Hamas official, Sami Abu Zuhri, directly linked the attack to the Israeli operation in the Gaza Strip. “The killing of three American soldiers is a signal to the US government that it must confront the entire nation if the killing of innocents in Gaza does not stop,” he told Reuters. “Continued American Zionist aggression against the Gaza Strip could detonate the situation in the region.”
Jordan “condemned the terrorist attack on an outpost on the border with Syria,” national news agency Petra reported. Government spokesman Muhannad Mubaideen said Jordan will continue to crack down on terrorism and the smuggling of drugs and weapons across the Syrian border into Jordan and “resolutely and harshly combat anyone who attempts to attack the security of the kingdom.” Late last year, Amman asked Washington to deploy Patriot air defense systems to strengthen border defenses.
Source: Krone
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