(Cupventi.com) – In the aftermath of a drone strike in Jordan that claimed the lives of three American service members, the United States is poised to respond with a series of targeted military actions. A source from the U.S. government, preferring anonymity due to the sensitivity of the information, revealed to ABC News that these operations will unfold over several days and involve multiple strategic locations.
The targeted sites are believed to be instrumental in facilitating the recent attacks against American forces. However, there has been no confirmation as to whether any of these targets are located within or outside Iran’s borders.
Emerging from the White House, President Joe Biden acknowledged he had determined the nature of the U.S. response to the aggression perpetrated by Iran-supported militants. While he did not divulge specific details, Biden held Iran accountable for arming these groups. “Tehran is supplying weapons to those who carried out the attack,” he stated, emphasizing Iran’s indirect role in the incident.
Despite this, President Biden assured the press that the United States is not seeking an extensive conflict in the Middle East. The circumstances surrounding the successful penetration of a hostile drone into a remote U.S. military base in Jordan are still being investigated. Reports suggest that the presence of a U.S. surveillance drone at the same time might have caused confusion, hindering the deployment of air defenses. This lapse allowed the enemy drone to strike the living quarters early Sunday morning, resulting in the death of three soldiers and injuring at least 40.
The Pentagon has released the names of the deceased Army reservists: 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, all members of an Army Reserve engineering unit from Georgia.
This incident marks a significant escalation in the ongoing tensions between U.S. forces and Iran-backed militants in Iraq and Syria. Since mid-October, there have been over 160 attacks on U.S. troops across Iraq, Syria, and Jordan, prompting retaliatory strikes by the U.S. In response, a spokesperson for the Iranian Mission to the U.N. denied Iran’s involvement, framing the conflict as a reciprocal exchange between U.S. military and resistance groups in Iraq and Syria.
Gen. Robert Abrams, a retired combatant commander, commented that U.S. Central Command is likely exploring various military strike options to present to President Biden. “The challenge,” Abrams noted in his discussion with ABC News Live, “is to convey a strong message without exacerbating tensions.”
Meanwhile, some Republicans, including House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, have called for a more direct approach against Iran, urging for a recalibration of U.S. policy in the Middle East. This sentiment was echoed by House Speaker Mike Johnson, who demanded a clear global message that attacks on U.S. troops are unacceptable.
In a recent interview with ABC’s Martha Raddatz, Gen. CQ Brown, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, emphasized the U.S. military’s commitment to protecting its forces while avoiding a broader conflict. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, commenting on the potential U.S. response, indicated that it could be multi-faceted, staged, and sustained over time. He reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to defending itself and its allies, maintaining that any aggression would be met with a decisive and timely response.