US 'not looking for war with Iran' as Biden weighs response to attack that killed 3 troops

WASHINGTON

The US is "not looking for war" with Iran, the White House said Monday as President Joe Biden weighs his response to a drone attack that killed 3 American troops, and injured dozens more.

"We are not looking for a war with Iran. We are not seeking a conflict with the regime in a military way," National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters at the White House.

"We're not not looking to escalate here. This attack over the weekend was escalatory. Make no mistake about it, and it requires a response. Make no mistake about that," Kirby added.

An Iraqi group calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for Sunday’s attack on Tower 22, a remote military installation in Jordan near the Syrian and Iraqi borders on Sunday.

Three US troops were killed, and at least 34 others injured, at the facility. The deaths are the first since Iranian-supported militias began targeting US forces with drones and missiles amid Israel's ongoing war in the besieged Gaza Strip where more than 26,000 people have been killed.

The Pentagon said Monday that three of the deceased service members were killed when the suicide drone hit their housing units. An investigation remains underway into the attack.

Kirby said the US is certain that the attack was carried out by regional militia groups supported by Iran, but said the extent to which the attack was ordered by Tehran remains unclear.

He repeatedly declined to say whether the US is considering potential strikes inside of Iran in response to Sunday's attacks, maintaining he would not "telegraph punches," but reiterated that Washington is not seeking to go to war with Tehran.

"That said, this was a very serious attack, it had lethal consequences. We will respond and we'll respond appropriately. I'm not going to telegraph what that's going to look like," he said.