U.S. to retaliate for Jordan base attack

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Thursday said it was time for U.S. forces in the Middle East to respond to militia attacks and “take away even more capability than we’ve taken in the past.” He did not disclose the details of the United States’ upcoming response other than indicating it would be stronger than previous attacks against such groups in the region. On Sunday, a one-way drone struck the living quarters of American troops in Jordan, killing three people and injuring dozens of others. “Our teammates were killed by radical militias backed by Iran and operating inside Syria and Iraq,” Austin said.

What do we know about the upcoming responses? Earlier this week, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters that U.S. forces could take “multiple actions” against Iranian proxy militia groups—which also include the Houthi rebels in Yemen—and employ a “tiered” approach.” On Wednesday, U.S. officials formally attributed the attack against the Tower 22 base in Jordan to an Iran-backed group known as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, or IRI. The Biden administration hinted that same day that it had determined how it would respond to the attacks.

What did the militant group have to say about the accusation? The IRI had already claimed responsibility for the attack. Kataib Hezbollah, one of the groups in the IRI affiliation, has said it was suspending all further strikes against U.S. forces. U.S. officials say Iranian proxy groups have attacked U.S. forces in the region more than 150 times since the start of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.

Is the United States going to attack Iran directly? The United States has said it does not want a war with Iran, and Iran warned the U.S. on Wednesday not to attack or threaten it, according to state-run media. Iran has denied any involvement with the attack, saying militant groups in the region attack American forces on their own and not in response to orders from Tehran.

Dig deeper: Read Marc LiVecche’s column in WORLD Opinions about how the U.S. response to Iran’s proxy forces’ attack should be strong but also smart.