US officials see Iran escalating proxy war into uncharted terrain

A deadly drone attack by an Iranian-backed militia on a US outpost in Jordan is raising questions in Washington about how far Iran and its allies will go in their bid to expel US troops from the region, as they force the Biden administration’s hand to conduct a powerful retaliatory strike that threatens to widen the Gaza war. 

The attack that killed three US soldiers and wounded more than 40 in Jordan came just as some officials in Washington assessed that leadership in Tehran and Iran's Quds Force were looking to reduce attacks on US assets, according to current and former US officials who spoke with Middle East Eye on condition of anonymity.

“Going into Jordanian territory is a serious escalation,” Bruce Riedel, a former senior Middle East analyst for the CIA and expert on Jordan-US ties, told MEE.

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US officials see Iran escalating proxy war into uncharted terrain with Jordan strike