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Three US service members have been killed and at least 34 personnel injured after an unmanned aerial vehicle attack in north-east Jordan.
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The one-way attack UAS impacted a logistics support base in north-east Jordan, near the Syrian border on 28 January, according to the United States Central Command (CENTCOM).
“The attack occurred at the logistics support base located at Tower 22 of the Jordanian Defense Network,” according to CENTCOM.
“There are approximately 350 US Army and Air Force personnel deployed to the base, conducting a number of key support functions, including support to the coalition for the lasting defeat of ISIS.
“Eight personnel that received injuries required evacuation from Jordan to higher level care, but they are in stable condition. All other service members are being fully evaluated for follow-on care.
“The number of US personnel with injuries has increased to at least 34 service members, but we expect this number to fluctuate as service members continue to seek follow-on care.”
CENTCOME has withheld the identities of the service members as a matter of respect for the families and in accordance with US Department of Defense policy.
“I am outraged and deeply saddened by the deaths of three of our US service members and the wounding of other American troops in an attack last night against US and Coalition forces, who were deployed to a site in north-eastern Jordan near the Syrian border to work for the lasting defeat of ISIS,” said US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin III, speaking regarding the attack on 28 January.
“These brave Americans and their families are in my prayers, and the entire Department of Defense mourns their loss.
“Iran-backed militias are responsible for these continued attacks on US forces, and we will respond at a time and place of our choosing.
“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.”
Earlier this week, US Central Command Forces conducted a strike against and destroyed a Houthi anti-ship missile located within Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen on 27 January.
In addition, also on 27 January, the Iranian-backed Houthis struck a Marshall Islands-flagged, Bermuda-owned M/V Marlin Luanda with an anti-ship ballistic missile in the Gulf of Aden, according to CENTCOM.
“Marlin Luanda is transporting for commercial use a cargo of Naphtha, a highly flammable liquid hydrogen mixture. Following the missile strike, a major fire ensued in one of the cargo holds,” according to a CENTCOM statement.
“USS Carney (DDG 64), the French Navy Frigate FS Alsace (D656), and Indian Navy Frigate INS Visakhapatnam (DD66) all responded quickly, providing critical firefighting material and assistance to the civilian crew, who had depleted their organic firefighting capability.
“The multinational crew, the lives of which the Houthis endangered, was made up of 22 Indian and one Bangladeshi crew members.”
