- Pentagon identifies three American service members killed in drone attack in Jordan.
- Attack on living quarters in early morning attributed to Iranian-backed militia.
- Over 40 service members injured, some in critical condition, in deadliest drone attack since Kabul bombing in 2021.
Additional Coverage:
The Pentagon has identified the three American service members who were killed in a drone attack on a base in Jordan. The Defense Department released a press release stating that Sergeant William Jerome Rivers, Specialist Kennedy Ladon Sanders, and Specialist Breonna Alexsondria Moffett died in the attack on January 28, 2024. The Pentagon described the attack as an unmanned aerial system impacting their container housing units. The attack is currently under investigation.
Pentagon deputy press Secretary Sabrina Singh revealed that the attack was different from previous ones due to its location and timing. She stated that the drone struck the living quarters in the early morning when people were still in their beds. Singh attributed the attack to an Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-backed militia, possibly Kataib Hezbollah. However, a final assessment has not yet been made. She also mentioned that the US forces will respond at a time and place of their choosing.
The outpost where the attack occurred, known as Tower 22, houses around 350 US Army and Air Force personnel. US Central Command initially reported that at least 34 individuals were injured in the attack, but this number has since risen to over 40. Eight of the wounded service members have been evacuated, and while some are in critical condition, all are currently stable.
This drone attack is believed to be the deadliest since the suicide bombing in Kabul that killed 13 Americans as the US withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021. An investigation is ongoing, and further updates will be provided as they become available.