From EFE
Three U.S. soldiers were killed near the Jordanian border in a drone strike that has been claimed by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq, marking the first deadly attack on U.S. troops since the outbreak of the Israeli-Israeli war. and Hamas in October.
Below, we look at what is known about the attack and what it means for the conflict in the Middle East.
Who are responsible?
In a statement, President Joe Biden attributed the attack to Iranian-backed militias operating in Syria and Iraq, although he stopped short of precisely identifying the group responsible.
Although Washington has not yet identified the perpetrators, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq group claimed responsibility for several attacks on positions in Syria and Iraq on Sunday and took responsibility for the deadly attack on US troops.
According to the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), the attack killed three soldiers, whose identities have not yet been released, and left at least 34 wounded.
Of the 34 injured, eight have suffered serious injuries and have had to be evacuated from Jordan to receive medical attention, although their condition is stable, CENTCOM detailed in a statement.
Where did the attack occur?
There are different versions about the exact location of the attack: the United States claims that it occurred at a military base in northeastern Jordan, near the border with Syria, while the Jordanian government maintains that it occurred outside its territory and targeted a base. American in Syria.
[“A dangerous escalation”: at least 3 US soldiers die in attack on a military base in Jordan]
Jordan is one of the main US allies in the region
, but the presence of hundreds of US troops in its territory is a sensitive issue because the majority of the Jordanian population rejects the aid that Washington is providing to Israel for its offensive. over the Gaza Strip.
As indicated by CENTCOM in a statement, the attack occurred against a military base in Jordan called Tower 22, which is strategically located at the most northwestern point of Jordanian territory, where its borders meet those of Syria and Iraq.
Some 350 US military personnel are deployed at that base whose mission is to achieve the “lasting defeat” of the terrorist group Islamic State (IS), CENTCOM detailed.
In addition, Tower 22 is located near another US military garrison called Al Tanf, located in Syria very close to the border with Jordan and which, since 2016, has been key to operations against IS, according to the organization International Crisis Group. on their website.
The Jordanian Government assures that the attack occurred precisely against the Al Tanf base, contradicting the United States version.
How will the US respond?
Biden promised in a statement that those responsible will be held accountable “at a time and in a manner” that the US decides.
On Sunday, during an event at a South Carolina church, Biden gave a speech to hundreds of worshipers in which he stated: “We had a difficult day last night in the Middle East.
“We have lost three brave men in an attack against one of our bases.”
Afterwards, he asked for a moment of silence and broke it by saying “and we will respond.”
Faced with the imminence of a US response, various pro-Iran groups in eastern Syria are “relocating”, while several militias deploy trucks with rocket launchers to counter possible US bombings, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.
The death of three American soldiers further aggravates the already fragile situation in the Middle East, where tension has skyrocketed since the Hamas attack against Israel on October 7, where 1,200 people lost their lives, and to which Israeli forces responded with an offensive in the Gaza Strip that has left more than 26,000 Palestinians dead.
[The Biden Government analyzes slowing down the delivery of weapons to Israel to pressure Netanyahu for the offensive in Gaza]
Since the beginning of this conflict, pro-Iran militias in Iraq have carried out more than a hundred attacks against US forces in Iraq and Syria, wounding at least 70 people, mostly soldiers with traumatic brain injuries.
Additionally, Houthi rebels in Yemen, also backed by Iran, have been attacking ships in the Red Sea.
However, until now, none of these attacks had caused fatalities among the American ranks.