Three US service members were killed and at least 24 were injured in a drone attack overnight on a small US outpost in Jordan, near the border with Syria, US officials told CNN.
The attack, which occurred around 2 a.m. local time on Sunday, involved a suicide drone that exploded near the entrance of the base, known as Tower 22, according to a US military statement.
The base, located in the remote northeastern corner of Jordan, hosts about 150 US troops who provide training and assistance to the Jordanian armed forces and conduct counterterrorism operations in the region.
The base is also close to the Tanf garrison in Syria, where US and allied forces are fighting the remnants of the Islamic State group.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but US officials said they suspect Iran or its proxy groups are behind it.
Iran has a network of militias and allies across the Middle East, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and the Houthis in Yemen, that form what Tehran calls the “Axis of Resistance” against US and Israeli influence.
READ ALSO: Tension Soars as Iran Gears Up for Response to Pakistan’s Attack
The attack is the latest escalation of tensions between the US and Iran, which have been simmering since the US withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Tehran.
The US and Iran have also exchanged attacks and threats in Iraq, where Iran-backed militias have targeted US forces and facilities with rockets and drones. In January 2020, the US killed Iran’s top general, Qassem Soleimani, in a drone strike in Baghdad, sparking a retaliatory missile attack by Iran on a US base in Iraq that injured more than 100 US troops.
The drone attack in Jordan also comes amid a fragile ceasefire in Syria, where Iran and its proxies have been supporting the regime of Bashar al-Assad against rebel groups and US-backed Kurdish forces.
The US has accused Iran of using Syria as a base to smuggle weapons and fighters to its allies in Lebanon and Iraq, and has conducted airstrikes against Iranian targets in Syria in the past.
The US condemned the attack in Jordan as a “cowardly and despicable act” and vowed to hold the perpetrators accountable.
The US also expressed its condolences to the families of the fallen and wounded service members, and thanked Jordan for its support and cooperation.
Jordan, a key US ally in the region, also denounced the attack and said it would work with the US to investigate it and prevent any further attacks on its soil.
The identities of the service members killed and injured in the attack have not been released yet, pending notification of their next of kin.
The US military said it is providing medical care and support to the wounded and has increased security measures at its bases in the region.