Fatal Drone Assault: Three US Soldiers Slain, Over 30 Injured in Jordan Ambush

Three US Army soldiers lost their lives, and over 30 service members sustained injuries in a recent drone attack targeting a small US outpost in Jordan, as reported by US officials. This marks the first instance of US troops being killed by enemy fire in the Middle East since the onset of the Gaza war.

President Joe Biden, addressing the incident in South Carolina on Sunday, affirmed, "We shall respond." The attack occurred at Tower 22 in Jordan, near the Syrian border, and represents a significant escalation in an already volatile Middle Eastern situation. Officials attribute the drone strike to Iran-backed militants, originating from Syria. The specific militia group responsible is still under investigation.

In a statement on Sunday, US Central Command confirmed the deaths of three service members and at least 34 injuries resulting from a one-way drone attack at a base in northeast Jordan. Eight injured service members were evacuated for advanced medical care, with expectations of a rise in the number of wounded as symptoms consistent with traumatic brain injury are addressed.

President Biden pledged to hold those accountable for the attack, stating, "We know it was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq." Despite this assertion, Iran denied any involvement in the attack, calling the accusations "baseless" through its permanent mission to the United Nations.

Tehran sought to distance itself from the incident, with Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani emphasizing that "regional resistance" groups do not take orders from Iran. He expressed the belief that the region does not need further tension or a new war.

This denial from Tehran follows a statement by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of several Iran-backed militias, claiming responsibility for attacks along the Jordan-Syria border, including the Al-Rukban camp close to the US outpost Tower 22. Notably, this statement was issued before the US officially announced the deaths of the three service members.