A base in Jordan witnessed the loss of three American troops due to a drone attack, marking the first US military casualties in the region since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict. President Joe Biden attributed the incident to Iran-backed militants.
Contrarily, Iran refuted any involvement in the assault, rejecting accusations by both the US and Britain that it supported the militant factions responsible for the strike on the distant frontier base in Jordan’s northeastern region, adjacent to the borders of Iraq and Syria.
In a statement, Biden asserted, “While we are still gathering the facts of this attack, we know it was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq,” vowing to hold “all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner of our choosing.”
Following the drone attack that claimed the lives of the US troops, President Biden observed a moment of silence at a banquet hall in a South Carolina church, solemnly pledging, “We shall respond.” Against the backdrop of heightened tensions amid ongoing conflicts in Gaza, concerns arise that the incident may escalate into a broader conflict directly involving Tehran.
While no group has claimed responsibility for the strike, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron renewed calls for Iran “to de-escalate in the region.” He condemned the attack, attributing it to “Iran-aligned militia groups” in a social media post on platform X.
Iran’s representatives at the United Nations, speaking to the official IRNA news agency, reiterated Tehran’s disassociation from the attack. A foreign ministry spokesman rejected the accusations made by the US and Britain, asserting, “These claims are made with specific political goals to reverse the realities of the region,” as quoted by IRNA.
Four individuals were executed in Iran at dawn on Monday after being convicted of spying for Israel, as reported by the judiciary’s website Mizan Online.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri interpreted the Jordan attack as “a message to the American administration,” warning that the sustained American-Zionist aggression on Gaza could lead to a regional explosion.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated on Sunday night that the attack targeted the remote Tower 22 logistics support base, resulting in 34 personnel being wounded, with eight requiring evacuation. The base houses approximately 350 US Army and Air Force personnel engaged in support roles for the international coalition against the Islamic State jihadist group, according to CENTCOM.
Jordan, along with Bahrain and Egypt, condemned the attack, as announced by Jordan’s government spokesman Muhannad Mubaidin.
The escalating Middle East conflict poses a challenge to Biden in an election year.
Republican politicians, including former President Donald Trump, swiftly criticized President Biden for the deadly attack, with Trump attributing the situation to “Joe Biden’s weakness and surrender.” Since mid-October, US and allied forces in Iraq and Syria have faced over 150 attacks, according to the Pentagon, leading to retaliatory strikes by Washington in both countries.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Iran-linked armed groups opposing US support for Israel in the Gaza conflict, has claimed responsibility for many of the attacks on US personnel. The current phase of the Israel-Hamas conflict began on October 7, initiated by a Palestinian militant group’s unprecedented attack that resulted in approximately 1,140 deaths, mostly civilians.
In response, Israel launched a relentless military offensive, resulting in at least 26,422 deaths in Gaza, primarily women and children, according to the Gaza health ministry.
The discontent stemming from the ongoing campaign has escalated throughout the region, manifesting in violence involving Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. Tensions have resulted in frequent exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israel in Lebanon, while US forces are actively engaged in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen.
Both the United States and Britain have conducted strikes targeting Yemen’s Iran-backed Huthi rebels. The Huthi rebels, supporting Palestinians in Gaza, have been attacking Red Sea shipping for over two months, prompting military responses from international forces.
