On Saturday, January 27, 2024, a one-way drone armed with an explosive was launched by an Iranian-backed militia group that killed three U.S. Army soldiers in northeastern Jordan. In addition to the three deaths, more than 40 U.S. service members were injured. Eight of the injured were in stable condition but were flown to further medical treatment to the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Center in Iraq. Three of those patients are scheduled to be transported to the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany for follow-on care; one of these patients in critical but stable condition.

The three soldiers were assigned to the 718th Engineer Company, 926th Engineer Battalion, 926th Engineer Brigade, Fort Moore, Georgia. The brigade is part of the U.S. Army Reserve. They were deployed to Jordan in support of Operation Inherent Resolve and the international coalition working to ensure the lasting defeat of ISIS.

The deceased soldiers are:

• Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, 46, of Carrollton, Georgia
• Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, of Waycross, Georgia
• Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, 23, of Savannah, Georgia

The one-way unmanned aerial system (OWUAS) impacted their container housing units. Some news reports state that the OWUAS followed or arrived at the Tower 22 location the same time that a U.S. military drone was returning to the outpost. This contributed to the attacking drone not being engaged by the U.S. forces base air defense systems. It is speculated that the drone attack came from Iraq. A White House statement blamed the attack on radical Iran-backed militant groups. The Iraq border is only ten miles away.

The location of the attack is a small military post known as “Tower 22” (The Intel Crab, Twitter) very close to the tri-border area of Jordan, Iraq, and Syria. The area is known as Rukban and there was a large refugee camp in the area at one time during the occupation of much of Syria by the Islamic State several years ago. It is believed that U.S. forces have been at the Tower 22 location since 2015.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq has claimed responsibility for the attack. This group emerged after the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel. It was formed from several militias that are aligned with Iran, some with a history of attacking U.S. interests in Iraq and Syria.

The Al Tanf garrison, which in the past has served as a launch pad for an American SOF contingent, is just across the border in Syria – about 12 miles north. The Al Tanf garrison is also a site of U.S. conventional troops. Al Tanf, in Syria, sits on a key highway that links Iraq with Syria. Tower 22, in Jordan, is part of a cluster of smaller bases supporting Al Tanf. According to CENTCOM, Tower 22 is a logistics base with approximately 350 U.S. Army and Air Force personnel that support the effort to defeat ISIS.

Jordan has been a key ally for the United States in the Middle East. A number of military exercises, such as Exercise Eager Lion, take place each year. In 2016 three Green Berets were killed in Jordan. The three were members of the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) who came under fire while entering a Jordanian airbase. in 2017 another member of the 5th SFG(A) died in a non-combat related incident. Currently there are over 2,000 U.S. military personnel stationed in Jordan.

In response to this drone attack the Biden administration has convened a series of meetings in the White House Situation Room with members of the national security team. They have been discussing the latest developments in the Middle East and this recent attack in Jordan. On the table is exactly how to respond to the attack. Most likely, according to national security ‘experts’, there will be U.S. attacks against Iranian proxies in the region.

The number of attacks against the U.S. in the Middle East have increased significantly since the Israeli response to the Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023. From October 17th to January 29th, there have been 165 attacks against U.S. troops and facilities. Iraq – 66, Syria – 98, and this one in Jordan.

There is a lot for the U.S. to consider in its search for a response. How to deter Iran from future attacks yet, at the same time, not escalate the tense Middle East situation into a wider conflict? To what extent is the U.S. already involved in a wider Middle East conflict? What level of response should take place – one that is ‘proportional’ or one that would punish Iran and its proxies? Should the U.S. scale back its presence in the Middle East, leaving it less exposed? Should the U.S. hit leaders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps?

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“DoD Identifies Army Casualties”, DOD, January 29, 2024.

Three members of the 5th Special Forces Group [1] were killed in Jordan on November 4, 2016. 5th SFGA is based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The Soldiers were identified as SSG Matthew C. Lewellen, SSG Kevin J. McEnroe, and SSG James F. Moriarty. The Green Berets reportedly came under fire as they were entering a Jordanian airbase.

A U.S. Army press release [1] provided the information in italics below:

Lewellen, a native of Lawrence, Kansas, had more than six years of service in the Army. This was his second overseas tour. His awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon (numeral 2), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, and NATO Medal.

McEnroe, a native of Tucson, Arizona, had more than eight years of service in the Army. This was his third overseas tour. His awards include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon (numeral 2), and Army Service Ribbon.

Moriarty, a native of Kerrville, Texas, had more than five years of service to the Army. This was his second overseas tour. His awards include the Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, NCO Professional Development Ribbon (numeral 2), and Army Service Ribbon.

Read More:

“Few Answers for the Family of a U.S. Soldier Slain in Jordan”, The New York Times, November 5, 2016.
“Three U.S. Service Members Killed in Jordan – 4 Nov 2016”, SOF News, November 4, 2016.
“Statement by Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook on U.S. Casualties in Jordan”, DoD Press Release, November 4, 2016.
“Officials say three U.S. service members killed in Jordan attack”, Military Times, November 4, 2016.
“Pentagon Spokesman Offers Condolences for Fallen Service Members”, DoD News, November 4, 2016.
“My Speech for Jimmy”, MelissaKayMoriaty.com, November 13, 2016. Eulogy for SSG James Moriaty by his sister Melissa.

Footnotes:

[1] Read history of 5th Special Forces Group by USASOC.
[2] “Press Release: 5th SFG casualties identified”, Army.mil, November 6, 2016.

The Pentagon has said that three U.S. service members killed in Jordan on Friday, November 4, 2016 were on a training mission. The incident happened as they were entering the al-Jafr air base in southern Jordan. The airbase is near the Jordanian town of Mann. Initial details are sketchy but it appears that Jordanian security forces at the gate fired on the vehicle. A Jordanian officer was also wounded. One of the killed service members has been identified by his family as SSG Jimmy Moriarty – a member of the 5th Special Forces Group based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. [1]

Read more:
“Statement by Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook on U.S. Casualties in Jordan”, DoD Press Release, November 4, 2016.
“Pentagon Spokesman Offers Condolences for Fallen Service Members”, DoD News, November 4, 2016.
“Officials say three U.S. service members killed in Jordan attack”, Military Times, November 4, 2016.
“Three U.S. Military Trainers Killed in Jordan”, The Wall Street Journal, November 4, 2016.
“3 U.S. Military Trainers Killed at Jordan Air Base”, The New York Times, November 4, 2016.

Footnotes:
“Few Answers for the Family of a U.S. Soldier Slain in Jordan”, The New York Times, November 5, 2016.