Three US service members were killed and at least 34 wounded in a drone attack by Iran-backed militants on US troops in northeastern Jordan near the Syrian border, President Joe Biden and US officials said on Sunday. It is the first deadly strike against US forces since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in October and marks a major escalation in tensions that have engulfed the Middle East. “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,” Biden said in a statement. Iran’s mission to the United Nations said in a statement on Monday that Tehran was not involved in the attack. Two US officials said the drone struck near the barracks early in the morning, which could explain the high number of casualties.

Source: Nigerian Tribune January 29, 2024 09:23 UTC