US says “not looking for war” with Iran, weighs a response to “escalatory” drone attacks

In response to a drone attack in Jordan that claimed the lives of three US Army soldiers and left 40 injured, the White House emphasised that it is not actively seeking war with Iran but did not rule out the possibility of strikes within Iran.

In a White House press briefing, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said, “We are not looking for war with Iran; we are not seeking a conflict with the regime in a military way. We’re not looking to escalate here. This attack over the weekend was escalatory; make no mistake about it — and it requires a response, make no mistake about that. I will not get ahead of the president’s decision-making.”

Media reported the incident as a significant escalation in the already precarious situation in the Middle East, with officials suggesting the drone was fired by Iran-backed militants from Syria. The specific militia group responsible is still under investigation.

President Joe Biden pledged a response, stating from South Carolina, “The United States shall respond.” The Defence Department has also released the names of the soldiers killed in the attack, allegedly by Iran-backed militias: Sgt William Rivers, 46, of Carrollton, Georgia; Specialist Kennedy Sanders, 24, of Waycross, Georgia; Specialist Breonna Moffett, 23, of Savannah, Georgia, according to CNN. They were assigned to the 718th Engineer Company, a US Army Reserve unit based out of Fort Moore, Georgia.

More than 40 US service members were injured in the attack, with the number expected to fluctuate as symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) may be reported later.

Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said, “We do expect that number to continue to fluctuate as our service members, as you know with TBI, report symptoms later on, so that number could continue to grow.” US Central Command had initially reported 34 injuries on January 28.

John Kirby insisted that the US would “continue to look at the options available” for a response but did not confirm if the administration believes the Iranian regime directly ordered the attack. The situation remains tense as the US weighs its response in the aftermath of the tragic incident.

A day ago, Iran’s Foreign Ministry refuted the claims of Tehran’s involvement in the attack on a US base in Jordan and said resistance groups decide and work on their own principles and priorities as well as the interests of their country and people, Iran’s state news agency, IRNA reported.

The drone attack on the US outpost in Jordan marks the first instance of US troops being killed by enemy fire in the Middle East since the commencement of the Gaza war.

The attack targeted Tower 22 in Jordan, near the Syrian border, escalating an already precarious situation in the region. According to US officials, the drone responsible was launched by Iran-backed militants and seemed to originate from Syria, according to CNN.

(with inputs from ANI)