Austin, who returned to work after nearly a month’s absence because of prostate cancer complications, said: ‘The president and I will not tolerate attacks on US forces.’
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin vowed on Monday that the United States would take “all necessary actions” to defend its troops after a drone attack by Iran-backed militants that killed three US troops and wounded dozens more.
Austin returned to work at the Pentagon on Monday after nearly a month’s absence because of prostate cancer and was meeting Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
The attack on Sunday was the first deadly strike against US forces since the Israel-Gaza war erupted in October, and marks a major escalation in tensions that have engulfed the Middle East.
“Let me start with my outrage and sorrow [for] the deaths of three brave US troops in Jordan and for the other troops who were wounded,” Austin said at the Pentagon.
“The president and I will not tolerate attacks on US forces and we will take all necessary actions to defend the US and our troops,” Austin added at the start of meeting with Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
US troops have been attacked more than 150 times in Iraq, Syria and Jordan as well as on warships in the Red Sea, where Houthi fighters in Yemen have been firing drones and missiles at them.
The attacks are piling political pressure on US President Joe Biden to deal a blow directly against Iran, a move he has been reluctant to do out of fear of igniting a broader war.
