Biden Says He Decided How to Respond to Drone Attack That Killed 3 US Troops

US officials told POLITICO the US is considering targeting the Iranian military even though they have no evidence Iran was behind the attack

President Biden told reporters on Tuesday that he’s decided on a response to the drone attack that hit a base in northeastern Jordan near the Syrian border and killed three US troops but didn’t specify what it will be.

Even though the Pentagon has admitted it has no evidence Iran was involved in the attack, Biden said he holds Tehran “responsible” because it arms the Shia militias the US believes launched the drone.

Iran has strongly denied it was involved in the attack or any of the approximately 160 attacks that have targeted US bases in Iraq and Syria in response to Biden’s support for the Israeli slaughter in Gaza. Regardless, the US is considering targeting the Iranian military, which could provoke a major war.

It’s unclear what Biden has decided to do in response, but US officials told POLITICO that options being considered include attacks on Iranian personnel in Iraq and Syria or striking Iranian naval assets.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said it was “very possible” that the US would carry out “a tiered approach … not just a single action, but potentially multiple actions,” signaling the US could carry out strikes for multiple days.

While considering attacking the Iranian military, the US is claiming that it does not seek escalation. “I don’t think we need a wider war in the Middle East. That’s not what I’m looking for,” Biden said.

But President Biden has already launched a wider war in the region by bombing the Houthis in Yemen 10 times since January 12 and launching several rounds of airstrikes in Iraq and Syria. Each time, the US says the purpose of the strikes is for deterrence, but the situation has continued to escalate.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.