Washington — Three American service members had been killed and 25 extra had been injured in an unmanned aerial drone assault on a base in Jordan on Sunday, President Biden and the U.S. army stated.
In a press release, the president blamed the assault on “radical Iran-backed militant teams working in Syria and Iraq.” Mr. Biden stated the assault occurred at a base in northeast Jordan, near the border with Syria.
U.S. Central Command, which oversees forces within the Center East, put the variety of wounded at 25, and stated the identities of these killed could be withheld for twenty-four hours after their households had been notified. A U.S. official stated the assault occurred at an outpost in japanese Jordan often called Tower 22.
The assault comes as tensions between the U.S. and Iran’s proxies within the area have soared to new ranges in latest weeks. Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels started attacking transport vessels within the Pink Sea in October to protest Israel’s struggle with Hamas in Gaza. The U.S. and its allies started conducting airstrikes in opposition to the group in Yemen earlier this month.
On Friday, the militants launched a missile at the united statesCarney, the primary time the Houthis had focused a U.S. warship. The destroyer shot the missile down with none accidents.
The week earlier than, the U.S. army stated two Navy SEALs had been misplaced at sea after they went overboard whereas trying to board an Iranian vessel that was delivering “superior standard weapons” to the Houthi rebels.
In his assertion, Mr. Biden known as Sunday’s assault in Jordan “despicable and wholly unjust,” noting that “we’ll maintain all these accountable to account at a time and in a way our selecting.” The White Home stated high aides briefed the president in regards to the assault on Sunday Morning, and a U.S. official stated a gathering is anticipated on the White Home later within the day concerning a response.
Congressional Republicans reacted angrily to information of the assault, calling on the Biden administration to retaliate in opposition to Iran. Home Speaker Mike Johnson stated the administration “should ship a crystal clear message throughout the globe that assaults on our troops is not going to be tolerated.” Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a distinguished GOP protection hawk, stated the U.S. ought to strike “targets of significance” inside Iran itself to discourage future assaults.
“Hit Iran now,” Graham stated. “Hit them onerous.”
Margaret Brennan contributed reporting.