Biden vows response at time ‘of our choosing’ after three US troops killed in Jordan drone attack

The spectre of a direct US-Iranian military conflict drew closer on Sunday when the US president Joe Biden announced three US servicemen had been killed and more than 34 injured following a drone attack on a US service base on the border of Jordan and Syria. Biden blamed Iranian-backed militia mainly based in Iraq for the “despicable” attack and vowed revenge.

Responsibility for Saturday’s attack on Tower 22, a military outpost on the Jordanian Syrian Iraqi borders was claimed by the Iranian backed umbrella group Islamic Resistance, and the US made no attempt to disguise its belief that Iran was ultimately responsible.

In a statement published by the state news agency IRNA early on Monday, Iran’s mission to the UN denied Tehran had any involvement in the attack.

“Iran had no connection and had nothing to do with the attack on the US base,” the mission said, adding: “There is a conflict between US forces and resistance groups in the region, which reciprocate retaliatory attacks.”

Four separate drone strikes had been fired at three US bases, and the US was investigating why the T-22 base’s defence mechanism did not repel the drone. Many of the American servicemen wounded have suffered traumatic brain injury. An official said the drone struck near the barracks early in the morning, which would explain the high number of casualties.

US forces have faced a near-daily barrage of drone and missile strikes in Iraq and Syria since the 7 October attack on Israel by Hamas, but this incident draws the US much closer to a direct conflict with Iran, an outcome both sides insist they wish to avoid, but may now be unable to prevent as the incidents proliferate and escalate in impact.

It is the first time American military personnel have been