Three Georgia soldiers were killed in a drone strike at a U.S. military outpost in Jordan, stirring up tensions in a Middle East already fraught with conflict. The Department of Defense confirmed the deaths of Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, and Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, all assigned to the 718th Engineer Company, 926th Engineer Battalion, and 926th Engineer Brigade at Fort Moore. They were part of Operation Inherent Resolve and died on Jan. 28 when a drone struck their housing units near the Syrian border at "Tower 22." Over 30 other service members were reported injured, with at least eight evacuated for higher-level care, according to CNN.
Following the attack, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp expressed his condolences and labeled the strike as "inexcusable," calling for Georgians to keep the families of the fallen soldiers in their thoughts and prayers. "These Soldiers gave the last full measure of devotion in service to this country," Kemp said in a statement obtained by FOX 5 Atlanta. In remembrance of Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, the City of Waycross will fly official flags at half-mast.
Iran-backed militants fired the drone from Syria, marking the first U.S. troop deaths by enemy fire in the Middle East since the beginning of the Gaza war. The White House is taking the attack seriously, with President Joe Biden vowing to "hold those responsible to account," noting the soldiers' unwavering bravery and commitment to duty, as per CNN.
Iran has vehemently denied involvement in the attack, with the state news agency IRNA citing a dismissal from Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations. "We believe the region does not need more tension or a new war," Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson, Nasser Kanaani, told CNN. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group for Iran-backed militias, claimed attacks on targets along the Syria-Jordan border, including an attack on Tower 22, before the U.S. confirmed the deaths of the service members.
The number of injured could rise as service members continue to seek treatment for symptoms that might be consistent with traumatic brain injury, as per U.S. officials cited by CNN.
