Jan 29 (Reuters) – Three U.S. service members had been killed and at the least 34 wounded in a drone assault by Iran-backed militants on U.S. troops in Jordan, stated U.S. President Joe Biden, the primary lethal strike in opposition to U.S. forces since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted.
The assault, which Iran stated it was not concerned in, marks a significant escalation in tensions which have engulfed the Middle East, amid considerations Israel’s conflict in opposition to Hamas militants may unfold right into a wider battle involving Iran’s proxies in Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq.
“While we’re nonetheless gathering the details of this assault, we all know it was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant teams working in Syria and Iraq,” Biden stated in an announcement.
“Have little doubt – we are going to maintain all these accountable to account at a time and in a fashion of our selecting,” he stated.
At least 34 personnel had been injured within the Sunday assault in northeastern Jordan close to the Syrian border, in line with an announcement from U.S. Central Command.
Satellite handout picture of Tower 22 U.S. navy outpost. REUTERS./
Iran’s mission to the United Nations stated in an announcement on Monday that Tehran was not concerned within the assault.
“Iran had no connection and had nothing to do with the assault on the U.S. base,” the mission stated in an announcement printed by the state information company IRNA.
It added: “There is a battle between U.S. forces and resistance teams within the area, which reciprocate retaliatory assaults.”
The U.S. navy stated the assault occurred at a base close to the Syrian border. It didn’t title the bottom, however an individual acquainted with the matter recognized it as Tower 22 in Jordan.
Tower 22 holds a strategically necessary location in Jordan, on the most northeastern level the place the nation’s borders meet Syria and Iraq. Little is publicly identified concerning the base. But it contains logistics help and there are 350 U.S. Army and Air Force troops on the base.
The battle in Gaza started on Oct. 7 when Hamas fighters stormed border defences to assault Israeli bases and cities, killing greater than 1,200 individuals and seizing greater than 200 hostages. More than 100 hostages stay captive.
Missile assaults in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen this month by Iran-backed militants has highlighted the rising danger of a wider regional battle pitting Iran and its allies in opposition to Israel and the U.S.
While the United States has maintained an official line that Washington will not be at conflict within the area, it has been retaliating in opposition to the Iran-backed teams in Iraq and Syria and finishing up strikes in opposition to Yemen’s Houthi navy capabilities.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis have continued to assault delivery within the area, and on Monday stated they’d launched a rocket at U.S. warship Lewis B. Puller because it sailed by way of the Gulf of Aden a day earlier.
GAPS IN HOSTAGE TALKS
Talks held on Sunday initiated by Qatar, the United States and Egypt to dealer a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas had been “constructive” however significant gaps stay, the Israeli prime minister’s workplace stated.
“There are nonetheless vital gaps by which the events will proceed to debate this week in extra mutual conferences,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s workplace stated in an announcement.
It stated the talks occurred in Europe, with out giving a particular venue.
The World Court ordered Israel on Friday to stop acts of genocide in opposition to the Palestinians and do extra to assist civilians, though it stopped in need of ordering a ceasefire as requested by the plaintiff South Africa.
While the ruling denied Palestinian hopes of a binding order to halt the conflict in Gaza, it additionally represented a authorized setback for Israel, which had hoped to throw out a case introduced beneath the genocide conference established within the ashes of the Holocaust.
On the bottom in Gaza, the heaviest combating in weeks is now happening in crowded areas jammed with a whole bunch of hundreds of people that fled from earlier combating elsewhere.
Israel saved up its bombardment of the primary southern metropolis of Khan Younis, reporting “intensive battles” and strikes on dozens of Hamas fighters and infrastructure from the air and floor.
Residents stated Israeli forces blew up buildings and homes within the western a part of the town as gun battles raged.
Palestinians say Israel has hampered efforts to rescue the useless and wounded in addition to blockading hospitals, which Israel denies, blaming Hamas fighters for working close to them.
In a brand new setback for stricken Palestinians, the United States stated it was pausing funding to the UN help company for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) after Israel alleged that 12 UNRWA workers had been concerned within the Oct. 7 Hamas assault on Israel.
UNRWA stated it was urgently investigating and “any UNRWA worker who was concerned in acts of terror” can be held accountable.