The drone attack in Jordan

Iran-backed group pauses attacks on US in Iraq  

 

The Iran-linked militant group Kataib Hezbollah, or the Hezbollah Brigades, unexpectedly announced a pause in attacks against the United States in Iraq. The New York Times reports. In a statement, the decision is explained by the fact that the group does not want to embarrass the government of Iraq.  

 

"We will continue to defend our people in Gaza in other ways."  

 

The statement was made shortly after US President Joe Biden said he had made a decision on how the US would respond to Sunday's drone attack on a US military base in Jordan over the weekend that killed three US soldiers and injured many. Biden did not go into any details.  

 

According to the Pentagon, it was likely Kataib Hezbollah that carried out the attack.  

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Analysis: Now America's credibility is at stake  

 

A US attack on Iranian targets inside Syria. It is the most likely response from the United States to the drone attack that killed three American soldiers stationed in Jordan, and for which an Iran-backed militia is believed to be responsible, writes The Guardian's Patrick Wintour in an analysis. 

 

"The problem is that the US has already responded to attack after attack on its bases in the Middle East - and yet failed to deter them," writes Sky News' Tom Cheshire.  

 

His colleague, Dominic Waghorn, writes that "nothing less than America's credibility and the stability of the region" is at stake.  

 

Both the US and Iran have previously said they want to avoid a direct confrontation. On Tuesday, Joe Biden said he had decided how the United States would respond, but did not say how.  

 

At the same time, Iran is said to have announced, via intermediaries, that it will respond with attacks against US targets in the region if the US were to strike targets on Iranian soil.  

 

"Some hawks in Washington want to see Iran's scam. Others are of the opinion that this is not the right time to whip up the mood," writes the Washington Post's Ishaan Tharoor.