Pentagon: US doesn't want a wider war with Iran or in Middle East
Summary
TLDRIn an interview, a US military spokesperson provided updates regarding a recent attack that killed 3 US service members and wounded over 30 others at a facility in Jordan near the Syria border. He condemned the attack, attributed to Iranian-backed militias, as unacceptable. While not divulging specifics, he stated the US will respond at a time and manner of its choosing to protect troops and avoid escalating regional conflicts. The spokesperson also announced the return of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to the Pentagon after recovering from an illness.
Takeaways
- 😟 3 US service members were killed in a facility near the Syria border in Jordan. At least 34 were injured with 8 evacuated and in stable condition.
- 😟 The number of injuries could rise as more are diagnosed. Thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those killed and injured.
- 😡 The US will take necessary action to protect troops globally from Iranian proxies. But the goal isn't to widen the regional conflict.
- 😠 Over 150 attacks on US troops in Iraq and Syria since October. Air defense has protected forces but the drone attack shows vulnerabilities.
- 😠 This attack bears the signature of Iranian-backed militias like Kataib Hezbollah. Iran arms these proxies for deniability.
- 😎 The US aims for regional security and stability, not escalation. Troops are in Iraq to defeat ISIS with Iraqi consent.
- 😟 Iran exploits tensions to try to expel the US and coalition from the region via proxies. But the US just wants stability.
- 😠 The US will respond at a time of its choosing to the attack. But again, it doesn't seek war with Iran.
- 😊 Sec. Austin has recovered well from illness and will return soon to the Pentagon and meetings.
- 😐 The US wants to prevent wider conflict while keeping troops safe. It remains focused on engaging partners.
Q & A
Where did the recent attack that killed 3 U.S. service members take place?
-The attack took place at a facility near the Syria-Jordan border in northeast Jordan.
How many U.S. service members were injured in the attack?
-At least 34 service members were injured in the attack. 8 had to be evacuated outside of Jordan but all are in stable condition currently.
What group is suspected to be behind the attack?
-The attack is suspected to have been carried out by Iranian-backed proxies, likely Kataib Hezbollah based on the signature of the attack.
What is the goal of U.S. forces in the region?
-The U.S. forces are there to focus on the lasting defeat of ISIS and to promote regional security and stability.
How has Iran historically used proxy groups in the region?
-Iran has long used proxy groups to give itself plausible deniability, implement policies, and try to expel U.S. and allied forces from the region.
How many attacks against U.S. forces have there been since October 2021?
-There have been over 150 rocket and UAV attacks against U.S. forces since October 2021.
What is the condition of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin?
-Austin is recovering well from his recent health issues, with excellent prognosis. He still has some lingering leg pain but is doing very well overall.
What meetings will Secretary Austin have upon his return to the Pentagon?
-Austin is expected to meet with NATO Secretary General, the White House, CENTCOM, the Joint Chiefs chairman, and maintain contact with Congress.
How does the U.S. aim to respond to the attack in Jordan?
-The U.S. will take deliberate, appropriate action in response but does not seek to escalate conflict or instigate war with Iran.
Does Iran seek war with the U.S.?
-It's unclear if Iran seeks open war with the U.S., but its actions are contrary to peace and stability in the region.
Outlines
😢 Three U.S. service members killed and 34 wounded by rocket attack on facility in Jordan along Syria border.
General Ryder provided updates on the rocket attack by Iranian proxies on a U.S. facility in northeast Jordan near the Syria border. Three U.S. service members were killed and the number of wounded has risen to at least 34, with some requiring evacuation for treatment. Ryder offered condolences to the families of the fallen and vowed to take necessary action to protect U.S. forces while avoiding escalation into a wider regional conflict.
🤝 Iran backing militant proxies in the region to try to force the U.S. out through destabilizing attacks.
General Ryder explained that Iran has long used regional proxy groups to enable deniability and advance its agenda of expelling the U.S. and its allies from the Middle East. The recent uptick in attacks in Iraq and Syria, including this deadly strike in Jordan, are part of Iran's efforts to destabilize the region and force the U.S. coalition engaged in counter-ISIS operations to withdraw.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡US service members
💡Iranian proxies
💡necessary action
💡regional security
💡lasting defeat of ISIS
💡broader conflict
💡War with Iran
💡protect our forces
💡Iranian malign activity
💡accountable
Highlights
3 US service members killed in attack in Northeast Jordan along Syria border
Number of injuries has risen to at least 34, 8 evacuated outside Jordan, all in stable condition
US forces are in the region to focus on the lasting defeat of ISIS
US will take necessary action to protect forces no matter where they are serving
US not looking to engage in a wider conflict, want to ensure regional security
US will take deliberate, appropriate action in response to the attack
Over 150 rocket and UAV attacks against US troops since October 2021
Attack carries the signature of Iran-backed militias like Kataib Hezbollah
Iran uses proxies to have plausible deniability and try to expel US from region
US very confident the attack was by Iranian-backed proxies
US will hold Iran accountable for actions of its proxies
Lloyd Austin expected to return to Pentagon after one month absence
Austin has been actively engaged with White House and military leaders
US working to prevent wider regional conflict while protecting troops
US will respond to attacks on forces in time and manner of choosing
Transcripts
yeah sure thanks very much for having me
uh as you highlighted uh three US
service members killed at a uh facility
in Northeast Jordan along the the Syria
border uh the the number of injuries has
risen to at least 34 eight of those uh
had to be evacuated outside of Jordan uh
all of whom are in stable condition at
this point in time uh there is the
potential that the the number of
injuries could rise as uh individuals
are further diagnosed
for example from concussive impacts uh
so we'll continue to to keep uh the
public updated on that front I I do
obviously want to offer our thoughts and
prayers to the families of those who uh
got the most terrible news over the
weekend and and lost loved ones uh as
well as those that were injured
absolutely uh General Ryder thanks for
being with us it is it now the case that
the American people need to prepare
themselves for more deaths for more
wounded American Service members at the
hands of Iran and Iranian
proxies well as we've said uh and will
continue to be the case uh we will take
necessary action to protect our US
forces no matter where they're serving
around the world U I'm not going to
Telegraph or forecast any potential
response from the United States uh
because of this attack other than to say
there will be a response uh and this
kind of action will not be tolerated you
know US forces are in this region for
one reason only and that is to focus on
the lasting defeat of Isis and so again
uh we will do whatever we need to do to
protect our forces going forward uh but
certainly uh at the end of the day we
are not looking to engage in a wider
conflict uh merely to ensure Regional
security and stability does the
administration think proportional
attacks will change the situation in the
Middle East well again you know what
we're going to do is uh we will take uh
deliberate appropriate action our Focus
here is not to broaden a conflict from
the very beginning uh we've been very
focused on ensuring that uh the
situation in Israel does not broaden
into a wider regional conflict
unfortunately what you have here are
Iranian proxy groups that are exploiting
the situation uh and conducting these
types of illegal uh attacks against
forces that are in the region to
actually uh preserve peace and stability
so again we're going to do what we need
to do to protect our forces while also
cognizant of the fact that what we don't
want is a wider regional conflict but
would you consider what happened over
the weekend given the fact that in
Jordan This is a facility about
terrorism this is a training facility we
have Americans dead now is this now a
red line for the administration with
tyon well look again as I highlighted uh
any attack against US forces is
unacceptable and certainly the loss of
three of our warriors uh is something
that saddens us all and we will respond
in a time and a manner of our choosing
but again our Focus in the region is not
to uh be there to uh widen conflict or
or to create more uh instability it's
the opposite so again we will take
necessary action to protect our forces
uh while also working toward that end of
regional security and stability General
you said that any attack on our troops
uh would be unacceptable there have been
more than 150 attacks on troops in Iraq
and Syria since October 17th how much do
you think that what you've done so far
what the administration has done so far
has effectively uh subdued additional
attacks has sufficiently protected some
of these
troops well to your point uh there's
been over 150 rocket and UAV attacks uh
and to this point uh th those air
defense systems have worked extremely
well in terms of protecting our forces
uh you know we're taking a look at this
situation here and how this uh uas uh
was able to uh strike this facility and
and kill and wound US service members uh
but again everywhere uh that we have
forces we're going to take all necessary
measures to protect those forces is this
an act of War by
Iran well look uh it's certainly a
horrific act and it's certainly
something that's unacceptable uh and we
will respond appropriately but if you
take a step back here again the United
States focus is not to go into these
regions to instigate War uh and
escalation our focus is to work with
regional partners and allies to ensure
security and stability that's why these
forces were there if you all remember
about 10 years ago when Isis was 24 km
outside of Baghdad we don't want to go
back to those times uh and so that's
what our focus is but when our forces
are threatened and when they're attacked
we will take appropriate action who
conducted these attacks can we just
start there and really get into the
detail of that General who conducted who
were the perpetrators Behind these
attacks yeah so what we know right now
uh is we are very confident that these
uh these attacks uh this particular
attack against this facility was by
Iranian back proxies we're working
through the actual attribution piece
right now but of course it carries the
signature of kab hus Bala uh which has
conducted attacks in the past uh but
this is something that we continue to
look at specifically and when you look
at this just for people following this
and listening to what's been developing
in the Middle East over the last month
or so how big is the difference between
those groups and around
themselves well for a long time Iran has
used proxy groups around the region to
uh to enable itself to have plausible
deniability enable itself to implement
policy and importantly uh to to
essentially try to expel the United
States and other countries uh that are
at odds with its own uh policies and
views from the region uh and so this is
in in a large part what you are seeing
in Iraq and Syria is that these proxies
uh and to a degree Iran uh exploiting
the situation the tensions in the Middle
East in an effort to try to expel the
United States and the Coalition from
Iraq and Syria uh and again those forces
particularly in Iraq are there at the
invitation of the government of Iraq to
assist in the lasting defeat of Isis
that is the mission that we're there for
and that's what we continue to remain
focused on does Iran have plausible
deniability this morning look we know
that these groups are backed by Iran
with the support of Iran they organize
train and equip these groups uh and we
will hold them accountable you will hold
Iran accountable or these groups
accountable and I think Major General as
you know this is the issue which one is
it look again I'm not going to Telegraph
or forecast our response we know that
Iran is Behind These groups uh we're not
seeking conflict with Iran we don't seek
war with Iran uh but again we will take
necessary measures to protect our forces
uh and we will respond in a time and
manner of our choosing I think we
understand that's the position of the
government this morning so Major General
forgive me for following up on this but
I understand the US doesn't seek war
with with Iran does Iran seek war with
the
US look I'm not going to speak for Iran
I'm not an Iranian government
spokesperson we know uh that uh you know
their actions and their malign activity
around the region are certainly contrary
to peace and stability uh but we will
continue to remain focused on our goal
uh which is regional peace security and
stability uh but again if our forces are
threatened uh we will take appropriate
action we will ensure that those forces
uh will be defended General we know that
Lloyd Austin is expected to return to
the dod today can you just give us an
update on his health after he was
missing for about a month um outside of
the
Pentagon uh well just I I wouldn't say
he's missing uh we've known where he's
been uh but yes he is uh expected to
return to the Pentagon today uh and
we'll be working from here we'll be
hosting a bot with the NATO Secretary
General a little bit later this morning
uh and we're certainly looking forward
to him coming back into the Pentagon as
you saw in our statement last week uh he
continues to recover well his prognosis
is excellent he does continue to uh have
some physical therapy associated with uh
some lingering leg pains uh but he's
doing very well besides the NATO
Secretary General what kind of meetings
is he expected to have or potentially
has he already had with Congress to
build some sort of bipartisan support Co
coales around an idea of what the policy
should be going forward when it comes to
this issue that Jonathan's talking about
on how to deal with Iran and their
proxies well the secretary has been
actively engaged uh with multiple
leaders uh to include uh the white house
uh with us Central Command with the
chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff uh
and of course uh maintains regular
contact with Congress on a variety of
issues um you know look we we all
understand the the serious uh nature of
what we're dealing with here again uh
working very hard to prevent a wider
regional conflict while at the same time
ensuring that our forces can operate
safety safely and securely uh and so
that will continue to be a main focus
going forward uh the secretary is of
course actively engaged on on all those
matters as well as other issues around
the world to include Ukraine uh and the
situation in Gaza
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