UPDATE: Sunday, Jan 28, 2024 · 6:55:11 PM +00:00
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Irontortoise
Damn, Wikipedia is quick! They already have a piece up on what is being called the Tower 22 drone attack:
Approximately 3,000 US troops are currently stationed in Jordan, with those deployed at Tower 22 specifically engaged in an "advise and assist" mission.[3] Tower 22 is in close proximity to the Al-Tanf Garrison in Syria, where US and local forces collaborate in combating the Islamic State.[4][5]
Prior to the attack, US and coalition forces operating in the region had already faced more than 158 instances of targeting. While these earlier attacks were largely categorized as minor, attributed to the absence of severe injuries or significant damage, approximately 70 US and coalition soldiers had sustained injuries.[4][5]
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According to US officials, the drone was fired from Syria by Iran-backed militants; US President Joe Biden promised to "hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner our choosing".[7][8]
Republican senators John Cornyn and Lindsey Graham called on the White House to directly target Iran in response to the attacks.[9]
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 nation."[10]
Jordanian state television quoted Muhannad Mubaidin, a government spokesman, as insisting the attack happened outside of the kingdom across the border in Syria.[3][11]
From The Guardian today:
Three US service members were killed and many wounded during an unmanned aerial drone attack on US forces stationed in north-eastern Jordan near the Syrian border, President Joe Biden said on Sunday, blaming Iran-backed groups for the attack.
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“While we are still gathering the facts of this attack, we know it was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq,” Biden said.
They were the first US fatalities in months of strikes against American forces across the Middle East by Iranian-backed militias amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Biden said the US “will hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner our choosing”.
The attack took place in north-east Jordan, near the border with Syria. Some 3,000 American troops typically are stationed in Jordan.
Interesting update from the BBC just now, Jordan is apparently claiming the attack took place on Syrian territory?
Meanwhile in the Red Sea conflict with the Houthis, also from the BBC:
UK navy ship HMS Diamond shoots down Houthi drone
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said the UK remains "undaunted" by the attacks.
Posting on X, he called the latest attack by the Yemen-based group "illegal", adding: "Our commitment to protect innocent lives and the freedom of navigation is absolutely unwavering."
The MoD said in its statement: "These intolerable and illegal acts are completely unacceptable and it is our duty to protect the freedom of navigation in the Red Sea."
A spokesperson for the MoD confirmed that this is the third incident of this kind with HMS Diamond since December - the first taking place on December 16 and the second on January 10.
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On Friday, the Marlin Luanda - a British-linked oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden - was set on fire for several hours after being hit by a missile fired by the Houthis.
The fire was extinguished with no crew injured after French, Indian and US naval ships provided assistance to the vessel.
The Houthis said it targeted the vessel in response to "American-British aggression against our country".
The really ironic thing about the Houthi attack on the Marlin Luanda tanker is that it was apparently carrying a load of Russian oil it had picked up off Greece and was transporting to Singapore.
And despite Iran apparently trying to mend fences with Pakistan over their tit-for-tat attacks on each other’s territory recently, this form CNN:
Unidentified gunmen killed nine Pakistani workers in the restive southeastern border region of Iran, Pakistani officials say, just over a week after Iran and Pakistan carried out military strikes on each other’s territory.
No group or individuals have taken responsibility for the attack, in the city of Saravan, according to Iran’s semi-official Mehr News Agency.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Iran confirmed the incident in a post on social media.
“Deeply shocked by horrifying killing of 9 Pakistanis in Saravan,” said Muhammad Mudassir Tipi. “Embassy will extend full support to bereaved families.”
“We called upon [Iran] to extend full cooperation in the matter,” he added.
The Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the attack, calling it “a horrifying and despicable incident.”
“We are in touch with Iranian authorities and have underscored the need to immediately investigate the incident and hold to account those involved in this heinous crime,” Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in a statement.
Stay tuned for any updates...