{"id":36321,"date":"2024-01-29T03:22:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-29T03:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/?p=36321"},"modified":"2024-01-31T17:43:39","modified_gmt":"2024-01-31T17:43:39","slug":"drone-attack-on-american-troops-risks-widening-middle-east-conflict-and-drawing-in-iran-us-tensions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/drone-attack-on-american-troops-risks-widening-middle-east-conflict-and-drawing-in-iran-us-tensions\/","title":{"rendered":"Drone attack on American troops risks widening Middle East conflict \u2013 and drawing in Iran-US\u00a0tensions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sara Harmouch<\/a>, American University<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A drone attack that killed three American troops<\/a> and wounded at least 34 more at a base in Jordan has increased fears of a widening conflict in the Middle East \u2013 and the possibility that the U.S. may be further drawn into the fighting.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Joe Biden vowed to respond<\/a> to the assault, blaming Iran-backed militias for the first U.S. military casualties in months of such strikes in the region.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But to what extent was Iran involved? And what happens next? The Conversation turned to Sara Harmouch, an expert on asymmetric warfare and militant groups in the Middle East<\/a>, to answer these and other questions.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What do we know about the group that claimed responsibility?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Al-Muqawama al-Islamiyah fi al-Iraq, which translates as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq<\/a>, has claimed responsibility<\/a> for the drone attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq is not a single group per se. Rather, it is a term used to describe an umbrella organization, which, since around 2020, has included various Iran-backed militias in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Initially, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq emerged as a response to foreign military presence and political interventions, especially after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion<\/a> of Iraq. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq acted as a collective term for pro-Tehran Iraqi militias, allowing them to launch attacks under a single banner. Over time, it evolved to become a front for Iran-backed militias operating beyond Iraq, including those in Syria and Lebanon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq operates as a cohesive force rather than as a singular entity \u2013 that is to say, as a network its objectives often align with Iran\u2019s goal of preserving its influence across the region, but on a national level the groups have their distinct agendas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The collective is notorious for its staunch anti-U.S. posture and dynamic military campaigns<\/a>, such as a recent two-day drone operation<\/a> targeting American forces at an Iraqi airbase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Operating under this one banner of Islamic Resistance, these militias effectively conceal the identities of the actual perpetrators in their operations. This was seen in the deadly Jan. 28, 2024, attack on Tower 22<\/a>, a U.S. military base in Jordan. Although it is evident that an Iranian-supported militia orchestrated the drone assault, pinpointing the specific faction within this broad coalition remains elusive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This deliberate strategy hinders direct attribution and poses challenges for countries attempting to identify and retaliate against the precise culprits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What do they hope to achieve in attacking a US target?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Iranian-backed militias have been intensifying attacks on U.S. forces in recent months<\/a> in response to American support for Israel in the Israel-Hamas conflict, and also to assert regional influence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the beginning of the conflict in October 2023, Iranian-backed militias have repeatedly struck<\/a> American military bases in Iraq and Syria, recently expanding their attacks to include northeastern Jordan near the Syrian border.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The deadly assault on Jan. 28 marks a significant escalation, though \u2013 it is the first<\/a> instance during the Israel-Hamas war that American troops have been killed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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