1st TO Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin starts starts
us off from the Pentagon with the latest.
Good evening, Jennifer. Good evening,
Brett. The president weighing one of the most important decisions
of his presidency tonight,
how and where to strike back after an Iranian proxy
killed three Americans.
Until now, the retaliation for the near daily ballistic missile
and drone attacks on US bases,
which was tit for tat.
Now the president must decide whether to target Iran.
The Iranian proxy drone hit U.S.
troops. While they were sleeping in their barracks.
President and I will not tolerate attack on U.S.
forces. Defense Secretary Austin returned to the Pentagon for the
first time since December 22nd,
following a hospital stay at Walter Reed and complications from
prostate surgery.
He briefed the President and his national security team at
the White House on the Iranian proxy drone strike that
killed three Americans.
Sergeant William Jerome Rivers, age 46,
of Carrollton, GA, Specialist Kennedy Laden Sanders of Waycross,
GA. Just 24 years old and specialist Brianna Moffett,
age 23, of Savannah, GA.
AUS official tells Fox News a U.S.
drone was returning to the Tower 22 logistics base at
about the same time the Iranian proxy attack drone was
incoming,
which caused confusion, allowing the defensive forces at the base
to fail.
A senior US official says there was a combination of
human error and technical failure that led to the tragedy.
The number of wounded 48 needing medical evacuation,
those numbers could rise. Iran claims it was not responsible.
We don't want a war with Iran.
Again, these are Iran proxy groups launching these attacks on
our service members,
but we certainly don't seek a wider conflict.
But we also own the clock here and we will
respond at a time and place of our choosing.
There have now been 165 attacks by Iranian proxy forces
targeting U.S.
troops in Iraq, Syria and now Jordan.
There are fewer than 4000 U.S.
troops in Iraq and Syria and 350 American troops at
Tower 22 on the Jordanian,
Syrian border. Near Iraq. The drone attack killing Americans in
Jordan was not the only drone attack carried out by
Iranian proxy forces Sunday.
A drone threatened al-Assad air base in Iraq Sunday but
caused no damage or injuries.
And two hours after the attack in Jordan,
another drone targeted the ATOM Garrison just miles from Tower
22,
but it was shot down.
Brett. Jennifer Griffin Live at the Pentagon.
Jennifer, thank you.