The United States has officially attributed the weekend drone attack that resulted in the death of three American soldiers in Jordan to the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), as stated by National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on Wednesday.
The IRI, serving as an umbrella organization for Iranian proxy militias, including Kataib Hezbollah, has been involved in carrying out over 165 attacks against US and coalition forces in Iraq and Syria since October 17.
President Biden has pledged to retaliate for the Saturday strike, marking the first instance of American troops being killed by hostile fire in the broader regional conflict initiated by the October 7 Hamas terror attack against Israel.
While critics voice concerns over perceived delays in the US response to those responsible for the troop deaths, Kirby cautioned against premature judgments, emphasizing that the absence of visible actions in the last 48 hours doesn’t preclude future responses.
Kirby highlighted that the administration’s reaction might involve multiple facets and comprise a series of attacks rather than a single concise strike. The anticipated response is unlikely to involve assistance from other coalition nations in the region, as Kirby underscored, “We’re focusing on a US response. They killed American troops.”
Despite Kataib Hezbollah’s announcement on Tuesday that it would cease attacks on American forces in the region, Kirby asserted that mere verbal assurances would not dissuade the US from proceeding with planned counterstrikes. In addition to the three casualties on Saturday, more than 80 US troops have been injured in recent Tehran-backed attacks across the Middle East, according to the Pentagon.