Iran have raised their air defenses to “maximum readiness” over fear the US could strike the country following three American troops being killed in Jordan by a drone strike.
The US President Joe Biden has said that the drone attack was carried out “by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq.”
US Central Command confirmed the deaths of the three servicemen over the weekend at a small outpost in northeast Jordan.
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Middle Eastern news service Alhadath has reported that Iran have placed their air defenses at “maximum readiness” in response to President Biden vowing to “hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner of our choosing.”
President Biden said, “Today, America’s heart is heavy. Last night, three U.S. service members were killed—and many wounded—during an unmanned aerial drone attack on our forces stationed in northeast Jordan near the Syria border.
“While we are still gathering the facts of this attack, we know it was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq.”
Former UN weapons inspector David Albright warned President Biden that if the US launches a strike on Iran this could spark a nuclear conflict.
Dr Afzal Ashraf, who teaches International Relations and Politics at Loughborough University told The Mirror, what happens next depends “on a decision that Biden will have to make.”
Dr Ashraf added, “I will suggest that that decision should be made after the facts become clearer.”
President Biden’s warning to hold all those responsible to account “does present a very serious potential of escalation.”
He said, “It is not certain if these attacks have been directed by Iran, and we do not know to what extent these attacks are directed by Iran.
“The Iranians have always been clear that they do not have directive control over groups carrying out attacks.”
Dr Ashraf added, “Everything the Iranians have done so far has been to avoid any direct engagement with the United States. So if the government is convinced that this attack was backed by Iran they have a few options for their approach.”
