Joe Biden has blamed Iran for the deaths of three US service personnel, weakly vowing that “we will respond”.
Speaking in South Carolina, the President blamed Iranian-backed militias for the first combat deaths of US troops in more than three years.
He said: “I want to point out that we had a tough day. Last night, at least, we lost three brave souls in an attack on one of our bases and I’d ask you for a moment of silence for all three of those fallen souls.
After the moment of silence, he meekly pledged: “We shall respond.”
The President blamed Iranian-backed militias for the first combat deaths of US troops in more than three years
RNC Research
He then thanked the audience before leaving the stage.
Three US servicemen from the army were killed and 25 were wounded in the Saturday night drone attack, which hit the base’s living quarters, according to a US official.
The Iran-backed Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI) claimed credit for the attack, which used a suicide drone to strike Tower 22, the military base in northern Jordan, near the Syrian border.
In a statement on Monday, Iran’s mission to the United Nations said that Tehran was not involved in the attack.
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It said: “Iran had no connection and had nothing to do with the attack on the US base.
“There is a conflict between US forces and resistance groups in the region, which reciprocate retaliatory attacks.”
Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said he was “outraged and deeply saddened” by the deaths and vowed that there would be retaliation.
“Iran-backed militias are responsible for these continued attacks on U.S. forces, and we will respond at a time and place of our choosing,” he said in a statement.
“The president and I will not tolerate attacks on American forces, and we will take all necessary actions to defend the United States, our troops, and our interests.”
President Joe Biden meekly pledged: “We shall respond.”
BidenIn a statement he gave yesterday, he said: “Today, America’s heart is heavy. Last night, three U.S. service members were killed—and many wounded—during an unmanned aerial drone attack on our forces stationed in northeast Jordan near the Syria border.
“While we are still gathering the facts of this attack, we know it was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq.
“Jill and I join the families and friends of our fallen—and Americans across the country—in grieving the loss of these warriors in this despicable and wholly unjust attack.”
The deaths were confirmed by the US Central Command this weekend.
US officials say the identities of the service members will be withheld until their next of kin have been informed.
