CNN
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Three US soldiers were killed and at least two dozen service members were wounded in an overnight drone attack on a small US outpost in Jordan, US officials told CNN, marking the first time US soldiers have been killed by hostile fire in the Middle East since. . The beginning of the Gaza war.
Three Americans were killed in Tower 22 in Jordan The proximity of the border with Syria represents a significant escalation of an already precarious situation in the Middle East. Officials said the drone was launched by Iranian-backed militants and appeared to be coming from Syria.
US Central Command confirmed in a statement on Sunday that three service members were killed and 25 others were wounded in a one-way drone attack that “targeted a base in northeastern Jordan.”
President Joe Biden on Sunday pledged to hold those responsible for the attack accountable, saying that while facts were still being gathered, “we know it was carried out by Iranian-backed extremist armed groups operating in Syria and Iraq.”
“These service members embody the best of our nation: their unwavering courage. They do not waver in their duty. They are unwavering in their commitment to our country, risking their own safety for the safety of their fellow Americans, and our allies and partners with whom we stand in the fight against terrorism. … [H]There is no doubt that we will hold all officials accountable at the time and in the manner we choose.”
As of Friday, there had been more than 158 attacks on U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq and Syria, though officials described the constant barrage of drones, missiles and missiles as unsuccessful because they often did not cause serious casualties or structural damage. Infrastructure.
It is not clear why air defenses failed to intercept the drone, which appears to be the first known attack on Tower 22 since attacks on US and coalition forces began on October 17. US forces are on site as part of an advise and assist operation. Mission with Jordan
US officials have repeatedly said they do not want to see the increasingly high tensions across the Middle East expand into a regional war. Asked last week whether the Pentagon assessed that Iranian proxies were intensifying their attacks on US forces, Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said: “Not necessarily, no.”
In a previously taped interview with ABC News that aired Sunday morning, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. C.Q. Brown said part of the U.S. job is to “make sure we don't have a conflict like we had in the Middle East.” expansion.”
He added: “The goal is to deter them, and we do not want to go down the path of greater escalation that would lead to a much broader conflict within the region.”
There have been dozens of casualties since the attacks began — a senior military official told reporters last week that there were nearly 70 — but the Pentagon has classified most as minor, with the exception of a US soldier who was seriously injured in an attack in Iraq on September 23. Christmas Day.
Chief Petty Officer 4 Garrett Ellerbrunn of the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade was scheduled to be sent stateside for further treatment after he was seriously injured in a drone attack on Erbil Air Base.
The United States has taken several retaliatory measures against Iranian-backed groups in Iraq and Syria, one of which was last week, when the United States struck three facilities in Iraq used by Kataib Hezbollah and other Iranian-affiliated groups.
The killing of three Americans also comes as the United States and Iraq are expected to begin talks soon about the future of the American military presence in the country.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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