3 YANKS KILLED IN JORDAN: U.S.
Biden says attack ‘carried out by radical Iran-backed militant group’
Three American troops were killed in a drone strike in Jordan overnight.
The soldiers were in northeast Jordan, near the country’s border with Syria, when they were killed, according to the White House.
“While we are still gathering the facts of this attack, we know it was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq,” President Biden said in a statement Sunday. “The three American service members we lost were patriots in the highest sense. And their ultimate sacrifice will never be forgotten by our nation.”
“Many” Americans were injured in the attack, Biden said. CNN reported that 25 U.S. troops were wounded. The victims have not been publicly identified, and the government did not say exactly what the troops were doing in northeastern Jordan.
Jordanian officials insisted that the attack occurred in Syria. The U.S. military said it occurred in Jordan.
The U.S. has ramped up its military presence in the Middle East in response to the Israel-Hamas war and attacks on ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Saturday night’s attack was the first time that U.S. troops have been killed since the conflict began.
“We will strive to be worthy of their honor and valor. We will carry on their commitment to fight terrorism,” Biden said. “And have no doubt — we will hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner of our choosing.”
In Jordan, most American troops are reportedly stationed at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base. The attack occurred at Tower 22, a small outpost on the very northeast corner of Jordan, according to The Wall Street Journal. The installation is near Al-Tanf garrison in Syria, where U.S. troops are based in the fight against ISIS.
Around 3,000 American service members are typically stationed in Jordan, and the kingdom is a strategic ally for the U.S. in the region.
Syria, on the other hand, has been mired in civil war for more than a decade. Various militia groups supported by Iran have taken advantage of the chaos and operate there.
The U.S. has stepped up its military response in the Middle East in recent months. It began by confronting Yemen’s Houthi rebels at sea but reached another level in mid-January with air strikes in Yemen. The Houthis are also backed by Iran.
Two protesters doused the glass case surrounding the Mona Lisa in soup on Sunday.
The women wore shirts that read “Riposte Alimentaire,” or “Food Retaliation.” They ducked under a security barrier to get closer to the painting, but the Da Vinci masterpiece was protected by the case.
“What’s the most important thing?” they shouted. “Art, or the right to healthy and sustainable food?”
Parisian police said two people were arrested at the Louvre over the protest. They did not publicly identify the women.
On its website, the Riposte Alimentaire group advocates for sustainable agriculture and action against climate change. It claims France is not living up to its commitments to save the planet and calls for all French people to receive food subsidies.
Employees at the Louvre responded to the protest by putting up black screens and telling everyone to leave the room that holds the Mona Lisa.
Farmers in France have been protesting in Paris in recent days, demanding better prices for their produce, fewer regulations and protection against imported food.
The farmers vowed to drive tractors to the capital and blockade a major market.
The Riposte Alimentaire protesters backed the farmers during their demonstration and shouted, “Our farming system is sick. Our farmers are dying at work.”
The French government attempted to appease the farmers on Friday with a number of measures, but the farmers said they didn’t go far enough.
The new French prime minister, Gabriel Attal, visited a farm on Sunday and promised further action to protect farmers against “unfair competition” from imports.
Throwing things at famous works of art has become a go-to move for climate protesters. The group Just Stop Oil, based in the U.K., has targeted various works across Europe.