« Hit Iran now. Hit them hard, » Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said in a statement.
Congressional lawmakers are demanding President Joe Biden strike Iran after three U.S. troops were killed Sunday night in Jordan in a drone strike claimed by the Islamic Resistance of Iraq, an Iranian-backed militia group.
The deadly drone attack, which also injured at least 34 U.S. personnel, marks the first deaths of U.S. troops by enemy fire since the Israel-Hamas war began after Palestinian militant group Hamas’ Oct. 7 terror attack on Israel. Iran has not commented on the attack, while Jordan’s government denied it took place on its soil.
« I am calling on the Biden Administration to strike targets of significance inside Iran, not only as reprisal for the killing of our forces, but as deterrence against future aggression, » Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said in a statement.
« The only thing the Iranian regime understands is force. Until they pay a price with their infrastructure and their personnel, the attacks on U.S. troops will continue, » he added. « Hit Iran now. Hit them hard. »
Roger Wicker, the most senior Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said: « We must respond to these repeated attacks by Iran and its proxies by striking directly against Iranian targets and its leadership … The Biden administration’s responses thus far have only invited more attacks. »
Biden for his part vowed to retaliate, saying in a statement that « we will hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner our choosing.
