Pentagon: US doesn't want a wider war with Iran or in Middle East

Summary

In 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

00:00

😢 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.

05:01

🤝 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.

Keywords

💡US service members

Refers to the American military personnel who were killed or injured in the attack in Jordan. This is a key theme, as the discussion centers around protecting US forces and how to respond to threats against them.

💡Iranian proxies

Iran-backed militant groups that conducted the attack. A key point of discussion is Iran's relationship with these groups and who should be held accountable.

💡necessary action

What the US military says it will take to protect US forces when threatened. This relates to potential US responses to the attack.

💡regional security

Stability in the Middle East region. The US claims its forces were there to support this, not to escalate conflict.

💡lasting defeat of ISIS

The stated US mission of its forces in the region. This provides context for why US troops were targeted.

💡broader conflict

A wider regional war that the US says it wants to avoid, even as it responds to threats against its troops.

💡War with Iran

What the US claims it does not seek, though the proxy attack threatens to escalate tensions.

💡protect our forces

A key US priority cited in the discussion about responding to the attack and potential future threats.

💡Iranian malign activity

Destabilizing behavior by Iran described as contrary to US goals of peace and stability in the region.

💡accountable

Making those responsible for the attack face consequences. A key question raised is who specifically should be held 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