In a tragic turn of events, three American service members were killed and over 30 others injured in a drone strike on a base in northeast Jordan, close to the Syrian border. The attack, which President Biden attributed to radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq, targeted an outpost known as Tower 22. This facility houses approximately 350 U.S. Army and Air Force personnel, as stated by the Department of Defense. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that the injured service members were in their sleeping quarters during the pre-dawn strike, with eight in critical but stable condition, necessitating evacuation.
The strike, believed to be the deadliest on U.S. service members since the Kabul suicide bombing in 2021, comes amid escalating tensions in the region. These tensions have been fueled by the conflict between the U.S. and Iran’s proxies and the ongoing war between Israel and Iranian-backed Hamas in Gaza. Adding to the volatile situation, Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have been attacking shipping vessels in the Red Sea and targeting U.S. warships, prompting U.S. airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.
Reacting to the attack, President Biden condemned it as “despicable and wholly unjust,” promising that the U.S. would hold those responsible accountable. Congressional Republicans, led by House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senator Lindsey Graham, have called for a strong retaliatory response against Iran. Meanwhile, the Jordanian government has condemned the attack, reaffirming its commitment to counter-terrorism and the smuggling of drugs and weapons across its border with Syria.
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