The attack on Sunday that resulted in the death of three U.S. troops and wounded has amplified pressure on the United States to take action. This is the first deadly strike against U.S. troops since Israel's war on Gaza started in October, marking a major escalation of tension in the Middle East.
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 31: U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin testifies at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill October 31, 2023 in Washington, DC. Austin and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken both testified at the hearing on budget requests, which includes aid money for Israel and Ukraine.
It was disclosed in a statement from Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin, "Let me start with my outrage and sorrow (for) the deaths of three brave U.S. troops in Jordan and for the other troops who were wounded," U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said at the Pentagon.
"The president and I will not tolerate attacks on U.S. forces, and we will take all necessary actions to defend the U.S. and our troops," Austin added at the start of a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the Pentagon.
According to Reuters, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that Biden is weighing his options for responding. "We are not seeking a war with Iran," he said.
The United States is investigating why the nearly 350 troops at the base in Jordan, known as Tower 22, were unable to intercept the drone.
Two officials said a U.S. drone was approaching the base around the same time the attack drone was incoming. One of the officials said the attack drone was also flying low, factors that may have contributed to its miss by base defenses.
What Was The Attack?
Thirty-four personnel were reportedly injured in the Jordan attack, however that number is expected to change as more people seek care, while eight personnel were evacuated from Jordan for critical-level care. They remain in stable condition.
The attack and any potential move from the U.S. continues to elicit a feeling of fear for potentially a much larger conflict in the Middle East. Israel's subsequent assault on Gaza has killed over 26,000 Palestinians, according to the local health ministry.
The United States has already retaliated in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen in response to previous attacks by Iran-backed groups.
"He's weighing the options before him," said White House national security spokesman Kirby. "As he said yesterday, we will respond. We'll do that on our schedule and our time, and we'll do it in the manner of the president's choosing as commander in chief," quoted Reuters.
"We'll also do it fully cognizant of the fact that these groups, backed by Tehran, have just taken the lives of American troops," Kirby said, adding that the United States was not seeking to escalate and not looking for a war with Iran.
Meanwhile, Iran's minister of intelligence said that regional armed groups aligned with Tehran will respond to "American aggressors" at their own discretion.
