The drone attack took place early on Sunday against a small American post in Jordan near the border with Syria. Biden and the US have singled out a “militant, extremist Iran-backed group operating in Syria and Iraq” as responsible for the attack.
Biden has said he will retaliate for the attack, which could increase the risk of the war expanding.
“Incredibly dangerous situation”
Stefan Åsberg, SVT’s former correspondent in both the Middle East and the USA, says that it is an “incredibly dangerous situation”.
– The American public is incredibly upset. Republican politicians in Congress demand that the United States strike against Iran, he says and continues:
– But it is not likely that the US will do it, then we risk a major regional war. Neither the US nor Iran want to see such a situation escalate.
Iran denies accusations
Iran has rejected US and UK accusations that it supports the groups behind the drone attack, according to Iran’s state news agency Irna.
Unnamed U.S. officials said personnel at the base mistook the enemy drone for a U.S. drone returning, reports The Wall Street Journal. A source within the American defense further states to the newspaper that so far there is no evidence that Iran is involved.
The military base is called Tower 22 and has a particularly strategic location in the corner of Jordan that borders both Syria and Iraq.
In both Syria and Iraq, Iran-backed militia groups have carried out more than 150 attacks on US or Western-linked targets in recent months, and the US and Israel have also carried out attacks in the countries.