Rédaction Africa Links 24 with sabcnews.com
Published on 2024-01-30 06:14:32
Three US service members were killed and at least 34 wounded in a drone attack by Iran-backed militants on US troops in Jordan, according to a statement made by US President Joe Biden. The incident marks the first deadly strike against US forces since the Israel-Hamas war erupted.
The attack has caused significant escalation in tensions that have engulfed the Middle East. There are growing concerns that Israel’s war against Hamas could unravel into a wider conflict, potentially involving Iran’s proxies in Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq.
Biden, in a statement, claimed that the attack was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq. He vowed to hold those responsible accountable at a time and in a manner of the US’s choosing.
The attack, which took place in northeastern Jordan near the Syrian border, injured at least 34 personnel according to a statement from US Central Command. Iran’s mission to the United Nations has denied any involvement in the attack.
Amid the ongoing conflict, missile attacks in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen this month by Iran-backed militants have raised concerns of a wider regional conflict pitting Iran and its allies against Israel and the US.
On the ground in Gaza, where heavy fighting continues, Israel’s intense bombardment has left nearly 25,000 Palestinians dead and millions homeless.
While the United States has maintained an official line that Washington is not at war in the region, it has been retaliating against Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Syria and conducting strikes against Yemen’s Houthi military capabilities.
Talks held on Sunday to broker a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas were described as “constructive” but significant gaps remain in the negotiations. Additionally, the heaviest fighting in weeks is currently taking place in crowded areas jammed with hundreds of thousands of people who fled from earlier fighting elsewhere.
The World Court ordered Israel to prevent acts of genocide against the Palestinians and do more to help civilians, although it stopped short of ordering a ceasefire as requested by South Africa. However, the ruling represented a legal setback for Israel, which had hoped to reject the case brought under the genocide convention established in the ashes of the Holocaust.
The United States has also announced it will pause funding to the UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) after Israel alleged that 12 UNRWA employees were involved in the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
The ongoing conflicts in the Middle East continue to worsen, with no immediate resolution in sight.
