Jordan: 3 US Soldiers Dead After Drone Strike on Military Base

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Facts

• Three American soldiers were reportedly killed and at least 34 others injured in a drone strike in northeastern Jordan near the Syrian border, according to US officials. The first US military fatalities amid the raging Israel-Hamas war mark the latest escalation of simmering regional tensions.¹
• US Pres. Joe Biden blamed Iran-backed proxies for the attack on a key logistical support base in Jordan known as Tower 22, where about 350 US troops are stationed, according to the US military. He said the US 'will hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner (of) our choosing.'²
• In a Monday statement, Iran denied any involvement in the attack, but the Islamic Resistance in Iraq — an umbrella organization of pro-Iranian militias formed after Israel started its military campaign in Gaza — reportedly claimed responsibility. It also claimed to have struck nearby US bases in Shadadi and Rukban in Syria.³
• Meanwhile, a Jordan government spokesman told state media that Sunday's attack targeted the al-Tanf base at the Syria-Jordanian border, and did not occur in his country. US bases in Syria and Iraq had been attacked at least 97 times since Oct. 17, US officials said back in December.⁴
• Iran-backed Hamas described Sunday's attack as the latest message to the US and Israel to stop what it described as 'the killing of innocent people in Gaza,' claiming the US's backing for Israel risked a 'regional explosion.'⁵
• While the Biden administration is coming under increasing domestic political pressure from some Republicans to take direct retaliatory action against Iran following the latest attack on US forces, the US military maintains it wants to avoid tensions escalating into a full-blown regional war.⁶

Sources: ¹New York Times, ²Associated Press, ³The Telegraph, ⁴BBC News, ⁵Times and ⁶CNN.

Narratives

• Anti-Iran narrative, as provided by Washington Post. Following continuous attacks on US regional targets, Iran has now crossed a red line with the deaths of US military personnel. The ongoing war in the Middle East may be asymmetrical, but that shouldn't deter Washington from taking more decisive military action — directly or indirectly — against an Iranian regime that's escalating tensions.
• Pro-Iran narrative, as provided by Irna. Given the US role in the raging conflict in the Middle East, it was only a matter of time before American military personnel suffered casualties. Resistance groups in the region have long criticized American hegemony for supporting Israel's atrocities on Palestinians. It's clear that the US is now trying to unilaterally escalate the conflict.

Predictions