No war with Iran but response to base attack certain: US
The US Department of Defense (Pentagon) reiterated on Monday that Washington would respond to a drone attack against an American base in Jordan that killed three soldiers and injured 40 others but said the country is not after a war with Iran.
Sabrina Singh, Deputy Spokesperson of the Pentagon told during a press conference on Monday that "the US is not looking for war and believes that Iran is not looking for war either".
As usual, the Pentagon spokeswomen repeated the US accusations of Iran’s support for the resistance groups in the region and claimed that traces are indicating the attack on the US base in Jordan was carried out by Iraq’s Islamic Resistance.
"We do not deny the high tensions in the region. Iran-backed groups target our military personnel and intend to kill them. We will respond," she told reporters, without specifying the traces of the Iraqi resistance in the attack she talked about.
Earlier, John Kirby, the National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the White House also talked about the deadly consequences of the attacks on American bases in the Middle East region but rejected any conflict with the Islamic Republic of Iran.
"We are not looking for war with Iran. We are not looking for a conflict with the Tehran government. But we will certainly do what is necessary to protect ourselves.", Kirby said, adding that any decision rests with the US president.
During the briefing, Kirby stated that President Joe Biden has met twice with the national security team since Sunday and is weighing the options.
The spokesman, who was grilled by journalists on the possible US response to the drone attack on its base in Jordan, repeatedly emphasized that Washington is not looking for war or conflict, but said that the decisions will be taken in due time as the situation is different.
“No easy decisions are being the commander-in-chief who acts based on the national security interests of the United States," he said referring to Biden.
In response to a question he said he did not know if any private message was sent to Iran's leaders.
Responding to yet another question whether or not Iran wants a war, Kirby said: "It depends on Iran's decision. As I said before, I cannot speak for the Iranian authorities.”
The spokesperson also claimed that many European allies have common concerns with Washington about the developments in the Middle East, saying their support for the Israeli regime will continue.
American media first broke the story about the attack on a small American base in Jordan that left three soldiers dead and 25 more injured.
US Central Command, CENTCOM also confirmed the attack on the base known as Tower 22 but failed to comment on CNN's claim that the Iraqi resistance group was behind the incident.
This base is located in the northeastern part of Jordan near the al-Tanf base located on the other side of the Syrian border, and it is said that 350 American soldiers are stationed there for logistical support.
Soon after the attack, several American officials rejected speculations about Iran’s involvement in the incident or any war with it as some critics of the Biden administration and hawkish Republicans were trying to link the Jordan base attack to the Islamic Republic.
Iranian officials, including the country’s permanent mission at the United Nations, also issued several statements, denying the country’s involvement in the US base attack and rejecting any escalation after the US media and the Pentagon came up with anti-Iran rhetoric, falling short of mentioning America’s destructive policies in the Middle East.
The Pentagon claimed that resistance groups supported by Iran are responsible for attacks on American forces in the region and that Washington is evaluating how the drone was able to penetrate the security measures at the base in Jordan.
The groups supported by Iran are responsible for continuous attacks on American forces, and we will respond at the time and place we want The president and I will not tolerate attacks on American forces, and we will take all necessary steps to defend the United States, our forces, and our interests", Lloyd Austin, the Pentagon chief was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken threatened that his country would resolutely respond to any aggression against its forces.
Blinken during a joint press conference with Jens Stoltenberg, the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on Monday night said that the US response to the attack will come at the right time and place.
He added that the response may be at several levels and stages and will continue for some time.
Resistance groups have been targeting US military bases and installations amid growing anti-American sentiment and calls for Washington to end its military presence in the region. Such attacks have intensified in Iraq and Syria since October as anger flared up over the US support for Israeli crimes and genocide in the Gaza Strip.
Resistance groups in the region have widely supported the Al-Aqsa Storm operation launched by the Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, in response to Israel’s decades of occupation and atrocities in Palestine.