President Joe Biden has announced that he has reached a decision on how the United States will respond to the recent drone strike that killed three American troops in Jordan. Speaking before
heading to fundraisers in Florida, Biden emphasized his reluctance for a broader conflict in the Middle East.
An Iran-backed militia group claimed responsibility for the attack on a US military base near the Syrian border, leaving dozens injured. While Biden did not disclose the specific course of action, the White House has pledged a "very consequential response." This incident marks the first time US soldiers have been killed by enemy fire in the region since the Israel-Gaza war erupted on October 7. Iran denies involvement, but Biden holds them responsible for supplying weapons to those behind the attack.
The potential US responses include retaliatory strikes on Iran-allied bases and commanders or targeting senior commanders of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps in Iraq or Syria. The attack on a US military base in Jordan occurred as an American drone returned from a mission, catching troops in their sleeping quarters due to deactivated air defense auto-response features.
In recent months, Iran-affiliated militias have targeted several US bases in the Middle East. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has claimed responsibility for the Jordan strike and other recent attacks against US forces. The Iraqi government condemned the strike, urging an end to the cycle of violence in the Middle East. Photo by Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, Wikimedia commons.
