The Pentagon did not disclose three separate attacks by Iranian-backed forces against U.S. troops stationed in Jordan, according to a report published Tuesday by The New York Times. The news comes as the Biden administration faces growing scrutiny over its handling of military engagements in the Middle East.
The undisclosed incidents
The Times report says the attacks took place over a period of months. None of the incidents were publicly acknowledged by the Defense Department at the time. The exact dates and details of the strikes were not provided in the Times account, but the report characterizes them as direct attacks on American personnel.
U.S. forces have been in Jordan for years as part of a broader counter-ISIS mission. Jordan borders Iraq and Syria, both of which have seen frequent attacks by Iranian-backed militias since the war in Gaza began in October 2023.
Why the secrecy
The Pentagon’s decision to withhold information about the attacks raises questions about transparency. Under standard practice, the Defense Department typically announces any attack that results in casualties or significant damage. In this case, no U.S. service members were killed or seriously wounded, the Times report indicates. But the administration has been sensitive to anything that might escalate tensions with Iran.
Officials quoted anonymously in the Times report said the decision to keep the incidents quiet was meant to avoid giving Iran a propaganda win and to prevent the situation from spiraling into a broader conflict. The White House has been walking a careful line between deterring Iranian aggression and avoiding a direct war.
What the report says
The Times based its story on interviews with current and former U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because the attacks were classified. The report does not name the specific units involved or the exact locations inside Jordan where the attacks occurred.
Iran has repeatedly denied direct involvement in attacks by groups such as Kata'ib Hezbollah, but U.S. intelligence has linked those groups to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The three incidents add to a growing list of unreported or underreported military actions in the region.
What happens next
The Pentagon has not issued a formal response to the Times report. The Defense Department press office did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The Times report leaves open the question of whether Congress was notified of the attacks. Lawmakers on the House Armed Services Committee have not yet publicly addressed the report.
The Biden administration is expected to face questions about the secrecy when Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin testifies before Congress later this month. For now, the full scope of Iranian attacks on U.S. forces in the region remains unknown.
