U.S. troops in the Middle East have been attacked three times since Sunday’s deadly strike that killed three service members.
Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, 46, of Carrollton, Georgia; Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, of Waycross, Georgia; and Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, 23, of Savannah, Georgia, were killed, while more than 40 others were injured in Sunday’s strike at a small U.S. military post in northeast Jordan, known as Tower 22.
“There has been three attacks to my knowledge since the 28th of January,” Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder told reporters on Tuesday.
The U.S. is expected to respond militarily to the fatal strike, which officials said was carried out by an Iranian-supported militia, and President Joe Biden affirmed to reporters on Tuesday that he has decided how the U.S. will respond.
“I don’t think we need a wider war in the Middle East. That’s not what I’m looking for,” the president said on the South Lawn of the White House. He affirmed that he decided how to retaliate, though he did not provide details.
Biden is facing pressure to hit back at Iran for its proxies’ continued aggression against U.S. troops and interests in the region. It is unclear whether Biden’s response will include attacks within Iran’s borders, though doing so would mark a significant escalation in the tense times.
Also on Tuesday, one of the militias, Kataib Hezbollah, announced its decision to suspend its military operations against U.S. troops in the region, in a decision aimed at preventing embarrassment to the Iraqi government, the group said in a statement, according to Reuters.
“Actions speak louder than words,” Ryder added, when asked about KH’s apparent decision to cease their attacks.
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The militias have carried out approximately 165 attacks since mid-October 2023, and about 120 U.S. service members have been injured, including 40 in Sunday’s deadly attack.
On Tuesday, Biden spoke with the families of the three service members who were killed, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Tuesday, and Ryder noted that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin would be speaking with them as well. Both leaders will attend the dignified transfer at Dover Air Base on Friday.
