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Drone Kills US Troops in Jordan


U.S. forces were under attack from an enemy drone, which was reportedly confused with an American drone returning to the United States base.

The drone killed three American troops and wounded many others in Jordan.

The Defense Department identified Army reservists killed as Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, 46, of Carrollton, Georgia; Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, of Waycross, Georgia; and Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, 23, of Savannah, Georgia.

The drone was spotted prior to entering a desert base within Jordan, ultimately allowing it to pass through without any issues.

 US News has more on the attack in Jordan.

As the enemy drone was flying in at a low altitude, a U.S. drone was returning to the small installation known as Tower 22,according to a preliminary report cited by two officials, who were not authorized to comment and insisted on anonymity,

As a result, there was no effort to shoot down the enemy drone that hit the outpost. One of the trailers where troops sleep sustained the brunt of the strike, while surrounding trailers got limited damage from the blast and flying debris. While there are no large air defense systems at Tower 22, the base does have counter-drone systems, such as Coyote drone interceptors.

Aside from the soldiers killed, the Pentagon said more than 40 troops were wounded in the attack, most with cuts, bruises, brain injuries and similar wounds. Eight were medically evacuated, including three who were going to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. The other five, who suffered “minor traumatic brain injuries,” were expected to return to duty.

As far as pointing the blame, it was believed to be from Kataib Hezbollah. U.S. officials believe Iran was ultimately behind the attack.

These deaths are expected to further U.S. involvement within the Middle East and this specific region.

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This incident is the first to have American troops in the line of fire since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war in October.

The United States has supported Israel in their stance against Hamas in Gaza. The support aims to prevent the fighting spreading further throughout the Middle East.

Despite the U.S. position, Iran-supported militants have carried out a number of strikes in Iraq, Syria and Yemen to oppose Israel’s campaign.

The U.S. officials have stated the drone incident would be met with a strong response. This would ultimately draw the U.S. and other international powers further into the conflict in the Middle East.

CBS News has more on Iran’s response to the drone bombing.

Iran has denied it was behind a drone strike that killed three U.S. troops at a military base in northeast Jordan on Sunday, but an Iran-backed militia based in Iraq said it had carried out four attacks in the area.

“Regional resistance factions do not receive orders from Iran, and Iran does not interfere in the decisions of the resistance to support Palestine or defend itself,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said at a press briefing Monday.

This drone strike is the most recent incident of rocket and drone attacks by Iran-backed groups that are targeting the United States forces within the Middle East.



 

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