U.S. officials revealed on Monday that American forces may have mistaken an enemy drone for a U.S. one, allowing it to pass unchallenged into a desert base in Jordan. The incident resulted in the killing of three U.S. troops and injuries to dozens more.
According to a preliminary report, a U.S. drone returning to the base, known as Tower 22, coincided with the enemy drone’s approach at a low altitude. As a consequence, there was no attempt to shoot down the hostile drone, which struck one of the sleeping trailers at the outpost. The base lacked significant air defense systems but did possess counter-drone systems like Coyote drone interceptors.
The Pentagon identified the three U.S. Army Reserve soldiers killed in the attack as Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, 46, of Carrollton, Georgia; Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, of Waycross, Georgia; and Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, 23, of Savannah, Georgia. These soldiers were assigned to the 718th Engineer Company, 926th Engineer Battalion, 926th Engineer Brigade in Fort Moore, Georgia.
US Troops in Jordan Killed by Enemy Drone Possibly Confused for American Drone (Credits: FOX 17)
While more than 40 troops sustained injuries, the Pentagon stated that they were mostly cuts, bruises, brain injuries, and similar wounds. Eight were medically evacuated, with three heading to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.
The remaining five, suffering from “minor traumatic brain injuries,” were expected to return to duty. The failure to intercept the enemy drone is still being assessed by the U.S. Central Command, and the White House emphasized that it is not seeking war with Iran despite blaming Iran for the attack.
President Joe Biden met with national security advisers to deliberate on potential retaliatory actions. The attack, attributed to Iranian-based proxies, complicates an already tense Middle East situation, with efforts to prevent the Israel-Hamas conflict from escalating regionally.
The U.S. has experienced numerous drone attacks in the Middle East since Hamas initiated attacks on Israel in October. However, this incident marked the first time U.S. service members were killed in such an attack.
Despite the severity of the situation, the U.S. administration reiterated that it was not actively seeking a war with Iran but would respond appropriately. Iran denied involvement in the Jordan strike, stating that the claims were politically motivated.
The Biden administration faces criticism from Republicans, who accuse it of inadequately deterring Iranian militias responsible for multiple attacks on U.S. troops in the region. Amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to broker a deal between Israel and Hamas, the drone attack adds complexity to the geopolitical landscape in the Middle East.
