The recent drone attack on a US military outpost in Jordan has claimed the lives of three American soldiers, identified as Sgt. William Rivers, 46, of Carrollton, Georgia; Specialist Kennedy Sanders, 24, of Waycross, Georgia; and Specialist Breonna Moffett, 23, of Savannah, Georgia. All three were assigned to the 718th Engineer Company, a US Army Reserve unit based out of Fort Moore, Georgia, as revealed by Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh.
The attack occurred on Sunday, January 28, 2024, near the Syrian border, targeting a housing facility on the base where many service members were asleep in the early morning hours. The strike resulted in more than 40 injuries, with the possibility of this number increasing. The drone assault, which hit the military outpost known as Tower 22, marked a significant escalation, leading to concerns about a broader conflict erupting in the Middle East.
The soldiers who were medically evacuated will undergo further assessment for mild traumatic brain injuries. Three of them will be transported to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, while the remaining five are expected to return to duty after assessment. An American drone returning to the base coincided with the attack, causing uncertainty about the nature of the approaching drone and resulting in a delay in the US response.
The enemy drone followed the American drone as it approached, raising questions about whether it intentionally trailed the American drone or if it was a coincidental occurrence. The enemy drone’s low flight altitude may have allowed it to evade the base’s air defenses. US officials are currently assessing the drone’s point of origin, and the details surrounding the incident are still under investigation.
The attack is the latest in a series of strikes against US and coalition forces in the Middle East. Since October 17, 2023, there have been approximately 165 attacks on US and coalition forces, heightening tensions in the region. The US has been targeted by Iran-backed militia groups in Iraq and Syria, resulting in multiple attacks. Simultaneously, the US has taken action against Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen for their assaults on commercial shipping.
Israel has been engaged in a campaign against Hamas in Gaza and has launched attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon. Amidst these escalating tensions, the drone attack in Jordan represents a grave development. While Iran-backed militia groups are suspected to be behind the attack, specifically Kataib Hezbollah, the US is working to determine the responsible group definitively.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stated that the group behind the attack was supported by Kataib Hezbollah, a main IRGC Revolutionary Guard-core backed group in Iraq and Syria. Singh also mentioned that the attack bore the “fingerprints” of Kataib Hezbollah. The US has recently conducted strikes against sites in Iraq associated with Kataib Hezbollah, further complicating the geopolitical landscape in the region.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin expressed his “outrage and sorrow” over the deaths of the three American troops during a meeting at the Pentagon with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Austin emphasized the US’s commitment to defending its forces, stating that attacks on US forces would not be tolerated, and all necessary actions would be taken to protect the US and its troops.
As the investigation unfolds and tensions remain high, the international community watches closely to understand the implications of this drone attack and its potential impact on the complex geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East.