Tower 22 drone attack
Tower 22 drone attack | |
---|---|
Part of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq[2] | |
Casualties | 3 U.S. military personnel killed and 47 wounded |
On 28 January 2024, an
The incident marked the first time U.S. troops were killed by enemy fire since the start of the Israel–Hamas war. President Joe Biden condemned the attack as "despicable" and pledged retaliation at a suitable time.[4] The U.S. began retaliatory strikes on 2 February, hitting sites in Iraq and Syria.[5] Iran denied any involvement in the attack.[6]
Background
Since the 7 October attacks by Hamas in southern Israel, Iran-backed groups have launched missiles and rockets at US and coalition forces in the Middle East on 160 occasions.[7] Approximately 70 US and coalition soldiers had sustained injuries in these earlier attacks, which were largely considered minor, due to the absence of severe injuries or the attacks missing their targets or being shot down.[8][9][7] The U.S. had retaliated against these incidents only eight times.[7]
Approximately 3,000 US troops are currently stationed in Jordan. The United States military has used the Tower 22 outpost, which was initially established as a Jordanian border outpost,
Attack
An exploding drone struck the outpost's living quarters, killing three American service members who were asleep in tents at the time.
At least 47 others were injured in the attack,[3] eight of whom had to be medically evacuated outside Jordan, to the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center in Iraq.[16][19] Of these eight, three were transported to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany for follow-up care.[16] U.S. personnel were evaluated for possible traumatic brain injury.[2] Most of the injured served in the US National Guard and belonged to units based in Arizona, California, Kentucky and New York. By 31 January, at least 27 service personnel were able to report back to duty.[20]
The failure of
Responsibility
In the aftermath of the attack, U.S. officials
Later in the day, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iranian-backed factions, claimed that it had launched attacks on that day on an Israeli oil facility in the Mediterranean Sea as well as three US military bases in Syria, namely Shaddadi, Tanf and Rukban, the last of which is located on Jordanian side of the border with Syria.[17][2][12] However, the U.S. said the attack on Tower 22 was the only attack on its forces that it had tracked that day.[12] Two other enemy drones, targeting sites in southeast Syria, were shot down.[21] The US formally blamed the Islamic Resistance in Iraq for the attack on 31 January.[20]
Aftermath
The remains of the deceased soldiers were returned to the United States on 2 February and were received with a transfer ceremony upon their arrival at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware that was also attended by president Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Charles Q. Brown Jr., as well as the families of those killed.[23] Tributes were paid at the victims' respective communities, while their funerals were held from 13 to 17 February. One of the soldiers was buried at the Georgia National Cemetery.[24][25]
According to Omar Abu Layla, a Europe-based activist and the head of the Deir Ezzor 24 media outlet, Iran-backed fighters in eastern Syria began evacuating their posts in fear of retaliatory US strikes shortly after the attack took place.[12]
US response
On 1 February, CBS reported that the White House had approved airstrikes on Iranian personnel and facilities in Syria and Iraq in retaliation for the attack, with the exact time dependent on weather factors.[26] On 2 February, the US launched retaliatory airstrikes targeting Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria. Around 85 targets linked to pro-Iranian forces were hit in seven different sites in Iraq and Syria.[5]
On 15 February, US officials announced that a
Reactions
United States
In the immediate aftermath of the attack U.S. President
The governor of Georgia,
Middle East
Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters that the attack was a message to the US administration that "unless the killing of innocents in Gaza stops, it must confront the entire [Muslim] nation."[32][33] and warned that the conflict could lead to a "regional explosion."[33] Kata'ib Hezbollah said that it would suspend military operations against US forces "to prevent embarrassment to the Iraqi government".[34]
Iran denied involvement in the attack, but said "resistance groups in the region are responding [to] the war crimes and genocide of the child-killing Zionist regime."
Jordan condemned the attack and said it was cooperating with Washington to secure its borders.[36] However, the Jordanian government spokesperson Muhannad Al Mubaidin insisted that the attack had happened outside of the kingdom across the border in Syria's al-Tanf base.[11][32][37][38]
Egypt's Foreign Ministry condemned the attack, expressed solidarity, and affirmed its stance against any terrorist acts that threaten the stability and security of Jordan. It also emphasized the necessity of confronting all forms of terrorism and rejecting violence to maintain security in the region.[39]
The attack was also condemned by Bahrain.[40]
Iraq condemned the attack, describing it as an "ongoing escalation" and said it was willing to collaborate on establishing rules to prevent "further repercussions" and escalation of the conflict in the region.[41]
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz extended his condolences to the families of the soldiers killed in the attack and wished for a speedy recovery for the injured.[42]
Qatar warned that the response of the United States might risk compromising a temporary Israel–Hamas ceasefire and hostage deal currently in progress.[43]
The Syrian Democratic Forces commander-in-chief, Mazloum Abdi, condemned the attack, affirming the group's stance against violence and "any attempt to disrupt peace in the region".[44]
Other countries
The United Kingdom "absolutely condemned" the attack. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was concerned about tensions in the region and urged Iran to de-escalate.[45] Foreign Secretary David Cameron also called on Iran to "de-escalate in the region."[40]
See also
- 2024 Erbil attack
- Jordan–United States relations
- List of wars involving the United States
- United States support for Israel in the 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- Rukban and Rukban refugee camp
- Jordanian–Syrian border incidents during the Syrian civil war
- Iranian intervention in Iraq (2014–present)
References
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- ^ a b Horton, Alex; Ryan, Missy; Warrick, Joby; Lamothe, Dan (29 January 2024). "U.S. mixed up enemy, friendly drones in attack that killed 3 troops". The Washington Post. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
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