CNN
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Three US Army soldiers were killed and more than 30 service members were injured in a drone attack overnight on a small US outpost in Jordan, US officials told CNN, marking the first time US troops have been killed by enemy fire in the Middle East since the beginning of the Gaza war.
“We shall respond,” President Joe Biden said while speaking in South Carolina on Sunday.
The killing of three Americans at Tower 22 in Jordan near the border with Syria is a significant escalation of an already-precarious situation in the Middle East. Officials said the drone was fired by Iran-backed militants and appeared to come from Syria. It is still being determined which militia group specifically is responsible.
US Central Command confirmed in a statement on Sunday that three service members were killed and 25 injured in a one-way drone attack that “impacted at a base in northeast Jordan.” Two US officials told CNN the drone hit in the vicinity of living quarters on base, and that three the injured service members were medically evacuated from the area.
The number of wounded is expected to rise.
Biden vowed on Sunday to hold those responsible for the attack “to account,” saying that while facts are still being gathered, “We know it was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq.”
“These service members embodied the very best of our nation: Unwavering in their bravery. Unflinching in their duty. Unbending in their commitment to our country — risking their own safety for the safety of their fellow Americans, and our allies and partners with whom we stand in the fight against terrorism. … [H]ave no doubt – we will hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner our choosing.”
Speaking at a church in South Carolina later Sunday, Biden asked for a moment of silence to honor the service members.
“I want to point out that we had a tough day last night in the Middle East. We lost three brave souls in an attack on one of our bases,” Biden said at the conclusion of his remarks.
As of Friday, there had been more than 158 attacks on US and coalition forces in Iraq and Syria, though officials have described the constant volley of drones, rockets, and missiles as unsuccessful as they have frequently not caused serious injury or damage to infrastructure.
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It’s unclear why air defenses failed to intercept the drone, which appears to be the first known attack on Tower 22 since attacks on US and coalition forces began on October 17. US forces at the outpost are there as part of an advise-and-assist mission with Jordan.
The US has taken several retaliatory actions against the Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Syria, one as recently as last week, when the US struck three facilities in Iraq used by Kataib Hezbollah and other Iran-affiliated groups. The US has also been engaged with the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, carrying out multiple strikes — many unilaterally and some with the UK and other allies — on Houthi missiles and drones, radar systems, storage facilities, and more.
Meanwhile, Israel is continuing its campaign in Gaza against Hamas, following Hamas’ terror attack on Israel on October 7. More than 25,000 people are estimated to have been killed — and tens of…
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