This tragic incident occured on Sunday, January 28, 2024. Three US troops were killed and at least 34 were wounded in a drone attack by an Iran-backed militia on a US base in northeast Jordan, near the border with Syria. The base, known as Tower 22, is part of an advise-and-assist mission with Jordan.
President Joe Biden condemned the attack as “despicable and wholly unjust” and vowed to hold the perpetrators accountable. This is the first time US troops have been killed by enemy fire in the Middle East since the beginning of the Gaza war in October 2023. The drone attack is a significant escalation of the tensions in the region, where US and coalition forces have faced more than 158 attacks from Iranian-backed militants since October 17, 2023.
