In response to the recent attack carried out by Iran-backed militia groups in Jordan, which resulted in the death of three US soldiers, President Biden's administration is considering a strong retaliation, according to the White House. This incident marked the first time American troops were killed by enemy fire in the Middle East since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war. However, President Biden has emphasized that he does not seek a wider war with Iran.
Following the attack, President Biden convened with his national security team on Monday to discuss possible courses of action. The White House has stated that a key objective of any response would be to degrade the capabilities of these Iran-backed militias, deter future attacks, and prevent further escalation of tensions in the region.
The US administration aims to send a powerful message by striking back more forcefully than before. This strategy seeks to demonstrate to the Iran-backed militias that their actions will not be tolerated and deter them from future attacks. The recent announcement by Iraq's Meketab Hezbollah, the most powerful Iran-backed militia in the country, suspending attacks against US targets could potentially be seen as a response to the planned US retaliation.
However, the effectiveness of any attack in achieving the desired outcomes remains uncertain. Previous strikes by the US and its allies against Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have disrupted shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea, haven't completely deterred or degraded their capabilities. Similarly, the presence of a US strike force in the eastern Mediterranean has not prevented Iran-backed Hezbollah in southern Lebanon from continuously launching attacks against Israeli targets.
It is important to note that any response by the US is not expected to take place on Iranian soil. This suggests that the focus of the retaliation would be targeted towards the Iran-backed militias themselves, rather than directly engaging with Iran.
The escalating tensions in the region raise concerns about the potential for a wider conflict. President Biden has repeatedly emphasized that he does not seek to escalate the situation into a broader war. Instead, the objective is to respond to the attack, degrade the capabilities of the militias, and deter future aggression without further exacerbating tensions in the already volatile region.
As we await the official response from the United States, the region remains apprehensive about the potential consequences of escalating tensions. The desire to avoid a wider war while effectively deterring future attacks presents a complex challenge for the Biden administration. The world closely watches how the United States navigates this delicate situation in the Middle East.
