Three American soldiers were killed and 25 injured in a drone attack in Jordan, US President Joe Biden announced in Washington on Sunday, January 28, threatening retaliation against the perpetrators and naming pro-Iranian groups as those responsible.
This is the first time American soldiers have been killed in the Middle East since the war between Israel and Hamas began in Gaza, raising fears of an even greater escalation of tensions in the region.
“Today America is with a heavy heart. “Last night, three US soldiers were killed and several injured in a drone attack on our forces in northeastern Jordan,” the US president said in a statement. “Make no mistake: we will hold all those responsible accountable when and how we want,” he added.
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Attacks by “pro-Iranian groups”
Joe Biden said at this point: “We know that [cette attaque] was carried out by a group of radical pro-Iranian fighters operating in Syria and Iraq. These soldiers, the Democratic president wrote, “have put their own safety at risk for the safety of their fellow Americans and our allies and partners with whom we fight terrorism.”
These American military deaths occur in an explosive context. Since mid-October, more than 150 drone strikes or rocket attacks have hit U.S. and coalition soldiers in Iraq and Syria, a direct fallout from the war in Gaza between Israel, Washington's ally, and Hamas. Palestinians supported by Tehran.
And since early January, Washington has repeatedly bombed positions in Yemen belonging to the Houthis, pro-Iranian rebels who target international traffic in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.