Drone attack on US troops in northeast Jordan kills 3, injures many: Biden

Three US service members have been killed and many wounded during an unmanned aerial drone attack on US forces stationed in northeastern Jordan near the Syrian border, President Joe Biden said, blaming Iran-backed groups for the attack.

"While we are still gathering the facts of this attack, we know it was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq," Biden said in a statement on Sunday.

The deaths marked the first fatalities of US troops in the region since Israel's war began in Gaza. Biden said the attack occurred on Saturday night.

"We will carry on their commitment to fight terrorism. And have no doubt – we will hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner of our choosing," Biden said in his statement released by the White House.

Biden's statement did not mention how many troops were injured but CNN said at least two dozen service members were wounded in the attack.

A US official told Reuters that some 34 personnel were being monitored for possible traumatic brain injuries.

The Pentagon has still not released details on the types of injuries sustained, but traumatic brain injury is a common occurrence after a large blast.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Jordan's government said on Sunday that the attack on American servicemen was not on Jordanian soil but in Syria.

Muhannad al Mubaidin told Jordanian public broadcaster al Mamlaka television that the attack had targeted the US Al Tanf base in Syria.