(ConservativeSense.com) – Following an attack on US troops in Jordan by Iran-backed militants, Secretary of Defense Loyd Austin promised that America would take “all necessary actions” to protect its troops.
Austin made the remarks on Monday, Jan. 29, the day after three US troops were killed and dozens more injured at a base in Jordan.
The Sunday attack is significant because it’s the first time US troops have been killed in the Middle East after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas. Since the escalation in the conflict, American forces have been struck more than 150 times in multiple Middle Eastern nations, including Iraq and Syria, and the Red Sea by Houthi rebels from Yemen who’ve been targeting cargo ships.
US officials said the attack that killed three soldiers most likely came from over the Syrian border and that the group behind it, which hasn’t been identified, was most likely backed by Iran.
Speaking at the Pentagon meeting with the Secretary General of NATO, Austin began by expressing “outrage and sorrow” for the dead and wounded US soldiers in Jordan. He then stated that President Joe Biden and himself “will not tolerate” such attacks and plan on taking “all necessary actions” to defend its troops.
Officials are still trying to figure out how the drone was able to attack without being stopped by the 350 troops stationed at the base. According to reports, a US drone was also heading toward Tower 22 at the same time as the enemy drone, which may have been one of the reasons it went undetected by the base’s defenses.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg accused Iran of continuing to “destabilize” the Middle East, which includes supporting terrorist groups attacking trade ships in the Red Sea. How Iran should be handled will be a tough decision for Biden to make, and he’ll be receiving more pressure than ever after this latest attack to deal a blow directly.
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