On the fateful Sunday in question, a tragic drone attack unfolded at a U.S. base situated in Jordan, resulting in the lamentable loss of three American service members and leaving over 30 others injured. In response to this egregious act, President Biden, in a formal statement, pointed fingers at "radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq" as the perpetrators behind this reprehensible assault.
The incident transpired at a military outpost known as Tower 22, strategically positioned in northeast Jordan and in close proximity to the Syrian border. This outpost accommodates around 350 personnel from the U.S. Army and Air Force, according to information provided by the Department of Defense. The victims, tragically, were situated in their sleeping quarters during the pre-dawn hours when the drone strike occurred.
The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), responsible for overseeing military operations in the Middle East, initially reported 25 injuries, but subsequent updates from two U.S. officials revealed a higher toll of more than 30. Later on that very Sunday night, CENTCOM officially confirmed that at least 34 individuals had sustained injuries. Notably, eight of the wounded service members had to be evacuated, with some in critical condition, although all were reported to be in stable condition, as conveyed by a defense official to CBS News.
The identities of the deceased were withheld for a 24-hour period following the notification of their families, as per CENTCOM protocol. President Biden, visibly disturbed by the heinous nature of the attack, condemned it as "despicable and wholly unjust." Furthermore, he pledged that the United States would pursue accountability for those responsible, asserting that the nation would do so at a time and in a manner of its choosing.
The gravity of this drone strike cannot be overstated, as it is considered the deadliest attack on U.S. service members since the tragic suicide bombing incident in Kabul during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
This unfortunate incident unfolds within a broader context of escalating tensions between the United States and Iran's proxy forces in the region. Recent weeks have witnessed a precarious increase in hostilities, heightening the risk of a broader regional conflict, particularly with the backdrop of strained relations between the U.S. and Iranian-backed Hamas in Gaza. In this volatile landscape, Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have been targeting shipping vessels in the Red Sea since October, in protest of the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The U.S. and its allies responded by launching airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen earlier in the month, aiming to quell the attacks on shipping vessels. In a concerning escalation, Houthi militants targeted the USS Carney with a missile on a recent Friday, marking the first instance of such an attack on a U.S. warship by the group. Fortunately, the missile was successfully intercepted by the destroyer, resulting in no injuries.
Preceding this incident, two Navy SEALs were reported lost at sea after an attempt to board an Iranian vessel delivering "advanced conventional weapons" to the Houthi rebels went awry.
In the aftermath of the drone strike, Congressional Republicans voiced strong condemnation and called upon the Biden administration to retaliate against Iran. House Speaker Mike Johnson emphasized the need for a decisive global message that attacks on U.S. troops would not be tolerated. Senator Lindsey Graham, a prominent GOP defense hawk, went further, advocating for direct strikes on significant targets within Iran to deter future attacks.
President Biden, visibly shaken by the events, was briefed on the attack Sunday morning and convened with top aides, including Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, later in the afternoon. Addressing the nation, he acknowledged the gravity of the situation, stating, "We lost three brave soldiers in an attack on one of our bases. And we shall respond."
In the midst of these rising tensions, Jordan, a key U.S. ally, issued a strong condemnation of the attack. The Jordanian government spokesperson assured that there were no casualties among the Jordanian Armed Forces and reiterated the country's commitment to countering terrorism and preventing the smuggling of drugs and weapons across the Syrian border into Jordan. The reference to "Captagon," an amphetamine used by terror groups in the Middle East and largely produced by Syria's Assad regime, underscores the multifaceted challenges the region faces, extending beyond conventional military conflicts to include issues of drug trafficking and border security.
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