ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The US on Sunday blamed Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq for an attack on US troops in Jordan that killed three US service members, a day after the Iraqi prime minister said to have discussed a plan for US withdrawal from Iraq.

Three US service members were killed and at least 25 others were wounded in a drone strike on US troops stationed in northeast Jordan. 

The attack, marking the first loss of US military casualty since October 17, immediately pushed the Biden administration into vowing a response. 

“Have no doubt: We will hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner our choosing,” US President Joe Biden said in a tweet.

Last night, three U.S. service members were killed, and many wounded, during an unmanned aerial drone attack on our forces stationed in northeast Jordan near the Syria border.

Jill and I join the families and friends of our fallen in grieving the loss of these warriors in this…

— President Biden (@POTUS) January 28, 2024

In a televised statement on Sunday, Biden directly blamed members of Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Syria for carrying out the attack.

However, Iran refuted such claims, and Iran-backed Iraqi militias are yet to claim responsibility, something they jump to do after any attack on US interests.

Responding to a tweet by British state secretary David Cameron, in which he called on Iran to de-escalate in the region, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani denied that such groups take orders from Iran. 

“The resistance groups in the region are responding the war crimes and genocide of the child-killing Zionist regime and that they do not take orders from the Islamic Republic of Iran. These groups decide and act based on their own principles and priorities as well as the interests of their country and people,” he said.

However, despite such denial, US officials seem outraged by the latest attacks, with some calling for a direct attack on Tehran.

Hit Iran now. Hit them hard.

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) January 28, 2024

Though if Iraqi militias really carried out the attack on US troops, it comes perhaps at the worst time possible for the Iraqi government as it is trying to peacefully get the US to agree to pulling out its troops from the country.

Iraq-US negotiations

Iraqi PM Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Saturday led the first meeting of the joint Higher Military Commission between Iraq and the Coalition led by the United States.

The joint commission is set to review the circumstances in the country, and following the review “ a specific timetable will be formulated to end the military mission of the Coalition,” according to a statement from Sudani’s office.

However, while the Iraqi side is rather insistent on the withdrawal of US troops, the US does not seem too willing to do so.

In a background briefing on Thursday, a Senior US Defense official denied that the meetings of the commission are to discuss the withdrawal of US troops per se.

“Let me be clear — the HMC meeting is not a negotiation about the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. The United States and the coalition are in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government to fight ISIS,” the official said.

Analysts also do not see the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq happening anytime soon.

“These meetings are meant to curb Iran-backed militias’ attacks against US bases, Coalition bases, and US allies,” expert in intelligence and national security in MENA Muhanad Seloom told The New Region on Sunday. “It is hard to see the Iraqi government seriously seeking to expel US forces. The legitimacy of the Iraqi political process caged in the Green Zone is tightly connected to the US presence / support in Iraq.”

“The US move to initiate these meetings is a smart step in the right direction. The question remains whether these militias would cease their attacks in the coming weeks and months,” he added.

However, Iraqi government spokesperson Basem al-Awadi in a statement to Iraqi state media on Sunday, insisted that the US-led coalition’s mission in Iraq will be finalized during the tenure of Sudani.