Three US soldiers have been killed in a suicide drone attack on a US base in Jordan, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) has confirmed.
The drone strike late Saturday hit a base in the northeastern part of the country, near the border with Syria, and resulted in at least 25 other injuries.
As of Sunday morning, Iran — the main backer of the anti-Israel group Hezbollah — and its allies are the main suspects, officials said.
Meanwhile, the conflict in the war-torn region continues to escalate, with the war in Gaza still raging and Iran currently exchanging air strikes with US ally Pakistan.
The US issued a statement on Sunday mourning the loss of the so-far unnamed soldiers – just the latest casualty as unrest threatens to explode in the Middle East.
Three US soldiers have been killed in a suicide drone attack on a US base in Jordan, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Sunday
“Today the heart of America is heavy,” President Joe Biden wrote from the White House on Sunday morning, before confirming that the attack on the small US outpost known as Tower 42 had been successful.
“Last night, three U.S. service members were killed – and many injured – in an unmanned aerial drone attack on our forces stationed in northeastern Jordan, near the border with Syria.
“While we are still gathering the facts about this attack, we know that it was carried out by radical Iranian-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq,” the commander-in-chief continued.
“Jill and I join the families and friends of our fallen – and Americans across the country – in grieving the loss of these warriors in this despicable and utterly unjust attack.”
He further added how the three fallen soldiers “embodied the very best of our nation” – they were “unwavering in their courage… unwavering in their duty… (and) unyielding in their commitment to our country.”
He stated that they died “putting their own safety at risk for the safety of their fellow Americans, and of our allies and partners with whom we stand together in the fight against terrorism.”
“It is a fight we will not stop,” 81-year-old Biden declared.
More to follow…