The United States' response to the attack that killed and wounded American soldiers on Sunday in Jordan is likely to be stronger than previous American retaliatory strikes in Iraq and Syria, according to what the "Network"
The network said that President Joe Biden is under increasing pressure to respond in a way that stops these attacks forever.
Iranian-backed militants have targeted US military facilities in Iraq and Syria more than 160 times since October, and many Republican lawmakers have called for a direct strike on Iran, which would serve as a clear message to Tehran.
But the biggest challenge now facing the Biden administration, according to the network, is how to respond to the drone strike, the deadliest attack on American forces in the region, without igniting a regional war.
In recent months, the United States has carried out several strikes targeting the weapons depots of Iranian agents in Iraq and Syria. So far, none of these strikes have deterred the militants, whose 165 attacks have wounded more than 120 US service members across the region since October, according to the network.
Retired General Mark Hertling said the killing of US service members "certainly crossed the president's red line," and both officials and analysts expect a more forceful response that is not necessarily limited to one country or one day. But officials noted that the United States was unlikely to strike inside Iran.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the environment in the Middle East is dangerous. Blinken added that the American response “could be multi-level, come in stages, and continue over time.”
The Biden administration could decide to strike armed groups in Iraq or Syria and could also target regional militia leadership.
An American official said that the United States is careful not to reveal information about the origin of the drone or the militants who launched it in order to maintain some element of surprise when it responds. American officials said only that the Iranian proxy, Kataib Hezbollah, appeared to have supported the strike.
However, striking Iran is one of the less likely options at this point, officials say.
Biden administration officials said Monday that the United States does not want to enter into a war with Iran, which would be the likely result of an American strike within Iran's borders.
“In fact, every action the president has taken has been aimed at de-escalation, trying to reduce tensions,” John Kirby, strategic communications coordinator for the National Security Council, told the network Monday. “We are not seeking war with Iran. We are not looking for a broader conflict in the Middle East.".
While the United States holds Iran ultimately responsible for the attacks given Tehran's financial and military support for its proxy groups, there are no indications yet that Iran explicitly directed Sunday's deadly attack or intended it as a deliberate escalation against the United States, multiple sources told the network.
An American official said. It's the same type of attack they carried out 163 times, adding, "I don't think this was intended to escalate."
Iran denied Monday its involvement in the attack. Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said in a statement, “The Islamic Republic does not want the conflict to expand in the Middle East.”
Officials said the attack bore many of the hallmarks of the more than 160 previous strikes by Iranian-backed militants—the only difference being that this strike successfully hit a residential area of the US base, called Tower 22, early Sunday when personnel Service is still in their beds.
The drone also flew at a low altitude, which may have allowed it to avoid the base's air defenses, and approached the base at about the same time an American drone was returning from a mission.
That likely caused confusion and may have delayed a response, officials said.
Washington said that the attack killed three soldiers and wounded at least 34 others, and it targeted “Burj 22” in northeastern Jordan, which is a logistical base located opposite the Syrian Rukban region.
“Tower 22” includes about 350 soldiers from the American ground and air forces carrying out support missions for the coalition forces against ISIS.
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