U.S. officials have stated that a retaliatory strike against Iran-backed militias in the Middle East could occur at any moment following a drone attack in Jordan last weekend that resulted in the deaths of three U.S. servicemembers and left over 40 wounded.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced at the Pentagon on Thursday that there would be a multi-tiered response to the attack. "We have the ability to respond multiple times depending on the situation," he said.
The objective is to counter the activities of Iran-backed militia groups operating in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, while avoiding any actions that could escalate into a broader conflict in the region.
The White House revealed on Wednesday that U.S. intelligence had identified the militant group responsible for the deadly drone attack on American troops in Jordan. "We believe that the attack in Jordan was planned and facilitated by an umbrella group called the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which includes multiple groups, including Kataib Hezbollah," stated National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby.
Defence Secretary Austin explained on Thursday that most of the drones in the region have connections to Iran.
In response to an imminent threat to merchant and navy vessels in the region, U.S. forces conducted strikes on a Houthi drone base in Yemen early Thursday morning. The Pentagon stated that the strikes targeted an Iranian-backed Houthi UAV ground control station and 10 Houthi one-way UAVs.
These strikes are the latest in a series of military actions taken by the U.S. against the Yemeni rebel group, which has been attacking ships in the Red Sea. The Houthis have been retaliating against Israel's war in Gaza, which is supported by the U.S., by repeatedly targeting merchant and U.S. navy ships in the region.
The Houthis have vowed to continue their attacks on vessels in one of the world's busiest shipping routes until the aggression against the people of Palestine in the Gaza Strip is stopped and the siege is lifted.
According to reports, the U.S. has approved plans to strike Iranian personnel and facilities in Iraq and Syria in response to the drone attack that killed three U.S. soldiers in Jordan. The response is being characterized as a "campaign" that could last for weeks and will involve airstrikes and cyber attacks. The targets will include the Iran-backed militias responsible for the attack as well as Iranian forces supporting them in the region.
This decision to directly attack Iranian personnel in Iraq and Syria represents a significant escalation in the ongoing power struggle between the U.S. and Iran, as well as their respective networks of allied militias in the Middle East.
U.S. forces in the region have faced frequent attacks from Iran-backed militias opposed to the U.S. presence for many years. However, these attacks have intensified following Israel's invasion of Gaza and the U.S.'s unwavering support for the war.
In other news, a ship carrying thousands of sheep and cattle is stranded off the coast of Australia in scorching 40-degree Celsius heat. The vessel was forced to abort its voyage through the Red Sea due to threats of attack by Yemen's Houthi militia. The animals on board are currently in limbo, awaiting a decision on whether they will be offloaded in Australia or exported via a longer route around Africa to Israel. While farm and exporter groups claim the animals are in good health, MPs have criticized the situation, calling the live export trade "rotten to its core."
The prospect of a full-scale war between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah militia is causing fear on both sides of the border. Some see it as an inevitable consequence of Israel's ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza. Such a war could be the most destructive ever experienced by both parties.
Both Israel and Hezbollah have learned lessons from their last war in 2006, which ended in a draw after a month-long conflict. They have also had four months to prepare for another war, even as the U.S. attempts to prevent the conflict from escalating.
Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi has stated that his country will not initiate a war but will respond strongly to any attempts to bully them. Raisi made these comments following speculation about how the U.S. might retaliate after three US soldiers were killed in a strike on their base in Jordan by an Iranian-backed group. CBS News reported on Thursday that the U.S. had approved plans for multi-day strikes in Iraq and Syria against various targets, including Iranian personnel and facilities.
"We will not start any war, but if anyone wants to bully us, they will receive a strong response," Raisi said in a televised speech. He emphasized that Iran's military power in the region is not a threat to any country but rather ensures the security of the region's nations.
Last month, the U.S. reclassified the Houthis as a terrorist organization, reversing a decision made by President Joe Biden in one of his first acts in office. The attacks by the Houthis in the Red Sea have escalated tensions in the region as a result of the fallout from Israel's war in Gaza. Since mid-October, the U.S. has been targeted by over 150 rockets and drones in Iraq and Syria.
In October of last year, Hamas gunmen infiltrated Israel from Gaza and killed approximately 1,300 people, mostly civilians. The group also took 250 people hostage in Gaza. In response, Israel launched a devastating war that resulted in the deaths of over 26,000 people, the majority of whom were women and children. The war also left much of the densely populated Gaza Strip uninhabitable.
Last month, the International Criminal Court determined that there is a "plausible" case that Israel has committed acts of genocide against the Palestinians.
The Houthis have carried out nearly 40 attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea since November. In the most recent attack, a ballistic missile was fired at a Liberian-flagged container ship. The crew and vessel were unharmed, and the Houthis have not claimed responsibility for the assault.
President Joe Biden stated on Wednesday that he has decided on a response to the attacks but does not want to escalate the conflict further. "I don't think we need a wider war in the Middle East. That's not what I'm looking for," he said.
In addition to the strike on the Houthi drone base in Yemen, the U.S. is planning a multi-tiered military response to the deaths of three U.S. service personnel in the drone attack in Jordan. Defence Secretary Austin stated that they have the ability to respond multiple times depending on the situation.
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