Biden Announces Approval of US Response to Jordan Attack

President Joe Biden has announced that he has made a decision on how the United States will respond to a drone strike that killed three American soldiers in Jordan. He made this statement while leaving the White House for fundraisers in Florida, emphasizing that he does not want to escalate tensions in the Middle East. An Iran-backed militia group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which occurred at a US military base near the Syrian border and left dozens of others injured. Although President Biden did not provide details on what the US response will entail, the White House has promised a significant and consequential action. US officials have been attempting to prevent the situation from escalating further in the volatile region. This drone strike is the first time US soldiers have been killed by enemy fire in the area since the Israel-Gaza conflict began. Iran has denied any involvement in the attack, but President Biden holds them responsible for supplying weapons to those responsible. The attack targeted a US military base known as Tower 22, located in northeastern Jordan and focused on supporting the coalition against the Islamic State. The US could consider retaliatory strikes on Iran-affiliated bases and commanders as well as targeting senior commanders of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iraq or Syria, but such measures would likely escalate the conflict.