US charges 2 people over fatal drone strike in Jordan

BOSTON: United States (US) prosecutors on Monday said two people have been charged in connection with a drone strike carried out by Iran-backed militants in Jordan near the Syrian border in January that killed three US service members and injured about 40 others.

Federal prosecutors in Boston said they would hold a press conference later Monday to announce charges against an Iranian man and a dual US-Iranian citizen related to export violations and providing material support to Iran in connection with the drone strike.

Further details were not immediately available. Prosecutors said that one of the defendants was expected to appear in federal court in Massachusetts this afternoon.

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The charges stemmed from what had been the first deadly strike against US forces since the Israel invaded Gaza in October 2023.

US President Joe Biden at the time blamed Iran-backed groups for the unmanned aerial drone attack on US forces, which sent shock waves throughout the Middle East.

The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella organisation of hardline Iran-backed militant groups, claimed attacks on three bases, including one on the Jordan-Syria border. Iran itself denied involvement in the attack.