The United States military confirmed on Sunday that three service members were killed and at least 25 others were injured in a drone attack on an outpost in northeast Jordan near the Syrian border.
The attack marked a significant escalation, as it was the first time U.S. troops have been killed by enemy fire in the Middle East since the Israel-Hamas war began.
U.S. troops have long used Jordan as a basing point, and the attack took place in northeast Jordan near the Syrian border.
A senior U.S. defence official told Fox News that the injury toll could rise higher than just 25 Americans.
He said that some of the 25-plus injured have been medically evacuated from the base, likely to Landstuhl in Germany, according to the official.
According to the report, it is not clear if they were hit while sleeping in the residential compound at the base.
“On Jan. 28, three U.S. service members were killed and 25 injured from a one-way attack UAS that impacted at a base in northeast Jordan, near the Syria border. As a matter of respect for the families and in accordance with DoD policy, the identities of the servicemembers will be withheld until 24 hours after their next of kin have been notified,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the White House said President Biden was briefed Sunday morning by Austin, national security adviser Jake Sullivan, and principal deputy national security adviser Jon Finer about the attack.
Biden blasted “radical Iran-backed militant groups” in reacting to the attack.
“Today, America’s heart is heavy. Last night, three U.S. service members were killed – and many wounded – during an unmanned aerial drone attack on our forces stationed in northeast Jordan near the Syria border.
“While we are still gathering the facts of this attack, we know it was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq,” he said.
