WASHINGTON, Jan 31 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Joe Biden says he has decided how the US will respond to a drone strike that killed three American troops in Jordan.
Speaking as he left the White House for fundraisers in Florida, Biden added: “I don’t think we need a wider war in the Middle East.”
An Iran-backed militia group has claimed responsibility for the attack at a US military base.
Dozens more were injured in Sunday’s strike near the Syrian border.
Biden did not detail exactly what the US action might be, but the White House has promised a “very consequential response”.
US officials have been trying to avoid a spiralling conflict in the Middle East.
But the drone strike was the first time US soldiers were killed by enemy fire in the region since the Israel Gaza war erupted on Oct 7.
Iran has denied any involvement in the attack.
But Biden said on Tuesday: “I do hold them [Iran] responsible in the sense that they’re supplying the weapons to the people who did it.”
The overnight attack targeted a US military base known as Tower 22 in north-eastern Jordan.
About 350 US forces are stationed at the base, which is focused on supporting the coalition to defeat the Islamic State, according to US Central Command.
The enemy drone struck while an American drone was returning to the base from a mission.
Officials say the base’s air defence auto-response features were turned off to avoid shooting down the US drone.
But because of that, there was no warning for troops who were reportedly still in their sleeping quarters.
In recent months, several US bases in the Middle East have been attacked by militias trained, funded and equipped by Iran.
The US has a number of options for responding to the attack, including retaliatory strikes on Iran-allied bases and commanders.
The US could also target senior commanders of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps in Iraq or Syria, though such a move would be viewed as an escalation in the conflict. — NNN-AGENCIES
