Drone that killed American troops in Jordan likely 'went undetected': Report

WASHINGTON

US forces did not detect the approach of an Iranian-made drone that killed three American troops and wounded at least 34 others in Jordan last month, according to a report.

The drone possibly went undetected “due to its low flight path,” said The Washington Post, citing a US defense official with direct knowledge of the assessment.

The official said the base that was attacked, known as Tower 22, a remote military installation in Jordan near the Syrian and Iraqi borders, did not have weapons capable of neutralizing aerial threats like drones, it reported.

Asked about the report, Deputy Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said the US is still assessing exactly what happened in the attack

“And of course, CENTCOM and the Secretary (of Defense Lloyd Austin) will determine if there's any change or needs to be any change to our defensive posture at Tower 22 or any other base in the region. But I just don't have more for you on that specific attack,” she added.

Last month’s suicide drone attack killed three US soldiers and wounded at least 34 others at Tower 22, a remote military installation in Jordan near the Syrian and Iraqi borders.

An umbrella group of Iranian-backed militias calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility. The US, joined by the UK and other countries, carried out several retaliatory strikes in Iraq and Syria targeting Iranian-backed militias.

Asked about reports by the Defense Intelligence Agency confirming the use by Yemen’s Houthi group of Iranian missiles and drones, Singh said they have been “very clear” that Iran does supply the Houthis and other Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-backed militias with weapons and different capabilities, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).