Militia attacks on US troops in the Middle East and the Jordan drone strike

Gone quiet · last story Dec 17, 2024

What this arc covers

The attacks by Iran-backed militias on US troops in Iraq, Syria and Jordan after October 2023 and the US strikes in reply: the drone and rocket attacks on US bases and the US Embassy in Baghdad, the US strikes on Iran-linked sites in Syria and on Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq, and the January 2024 drone attack on Tower 22, a US base in Jordan, that killed three US Army Reserve soldiers, with the US blame for the attack, Iran's denial and warnings, the dignified transfer and funerals, Kataib Hezbollah's announced halt of attacks, and the US retaliatory strikes on militia targets in Iraq and Syria, including the one that killed a senior Kataib Hezbollah leader.

Earliest story we hold Oct 25, 2023 · 32 stories · 187 independent sources (counted once each) · 419 days

Part ofIranIraqSyriaJoe BidenHezbollahBaghdadHamasGeorgia

Part of The US-Iran war

  1. Militia attacks on US troops in the Middle East and the Jordan drone strikeThis arcOct 25, 2023 – Dec 17, 2024
  2. Iran and Israel's first direct strikes on each other, in April and October 2024Apr 1 – Nov 13, 2024
  3. Trump's 2025 nuclear talks with IranFeb 7 – Nov 16, 2025
  4. The 12-day Israel-Iran war of June 2025 and the US strikes on Iran's nuclear sitesJun 12 – Jul 11, 2025
  5. Iran's leadership losses, succession and protestsDec 29, 2025 – Sep 2, 2026
  6. Strikes and their immediate aftermathJan 9 – Sep 25, 2026
  7. Ceasefire and peace negotiationsJan 12 – Sep 29, 2026
  8. Passage through the Strait of HormuzFeb 17 – Sep 21, 2026
Show remaining 4 arcs
  1. Israel's 2026 war with Hezbollah and its first direct talks with LebanonFeb 23 – Sep 17, 2026
  2. Congress's war powers votes and the fight over the warFeb 28 – Sep 27, 2026
  3. Oil prices, gas prices and the market falloutFeb 28 – Sep 30, 2026
  4. The Houthis' missile and drone attacks on Saudi ArabiaJul 13 – Sep 26, 2026

Where it standsnewest first · each bar runs left to right by leaning

Dec 172024Two charged in connection with Iran drone strike that killed 3 US troops in the Middle East32 articles · 22 independent sources
3 left, 6 center, 2 right
Feb 132024Funerals getting underway in Georgia for 3 Army Reserve soldiers killed in Jordan drone attack8 articles · 7 independent sources
2 left, 2 center, 1 right
Feb 72024US conducts strike in Iraq on Kataib Hezbollah commander responsible for attacks on US5 articles · 5 independent sources
1 left, 3 center, 0 right

Key momentsthe most covered; every story is below

  1. Oct 27, 2023US strikes 2 Iran-linked sites in Syria in retaliation for attacks on US troops105 articles · 63 independent sources
  2. Nov 9 – 13, 2023US conducts airstrikes against Iran-backed groups in Syria, retaliating for attacks on US troops - The Daily Reporter68 articles · 47 independent sources
    1. Nov 9, 2023U.S. Launches New Airstrikes on Syria Facility Linked to Iran
    2. Nov 10, 2023U.S. Forces Attacked by Iran-Aligned Groups in Iraq and Syria, Pentagon Says
  3. Dec 26, 2023Biden Orders Strike on Iranian-Aligned Group After 3 US Troops Injured in Drone Attack in Iraq52 articles · 32 independent sources
  4. Jan 28 – Feb 1, 2024US blames group of Iran-backed militias for deadly drone attack in Jordan as it weighs reprisals231 articles · 91 independent sources
    1. Jan 28, 2024Three US troops killed, up to 34 injured in Jordan drone strike linked to Iran
    2. Jan 30, 2024Defense Department identifies three US soldiers killed in drone attack in Jordan
    3. Jan 31, 2024Islamic Resistance in Iraq group is to blame for Jordan drone strike that killed 3 troops, US says
  5. Jan 29 – 31, 2024Biden Says U.S. Response to Deadly Drone Strike in Jordan Has Been Decided90 articles · 54 independent sources
    1. Jan 29, 2024Biden says he has decided how to respond to attack in Jordan
    2. Jan 31, 2024Only center coverage:Biden says he’s decided on response to Jordan drone attack that killed 3
  6. Feb 2 – 3, 2024Biden attends dignified transfer of 3 US troops killed in Jordan drone attack68 articles · 39 independent sources
  7. Feb 2 – 3, 2024US begins strikes on militias in Iraq, Syria, retaliating for fatal drone attack, officials tell AP60 articles · 41 independent sources

Who covered it, over timeindependent sources per week, by side

Oct 2023Jan 2024Apr 2024Jul 2024Sep 2024Dec 2024

LeftCenterRight

Point at or tap a week to see its count by side.

Every week as a table
Week ofLeftCenterRightArticles
Oct 23, 20239139105
Oct 30, 20231203
Nov 6, 2023611542
Nov 13, 2023311557
Nov 20, 202314412
Dec 4, 202306319
Dec 11, 20232215
Dec 25, 2023412666
Jan 22, 2024142518124
Jan 29, 2024336323502
Feb 5, 202425011
Feb 12, 20242218
Dec 16, 202436231

Stories before June 28, 2026 come from archived pages, so who covered them is limited to the outlets we recovered for that period.

27% left · 57% center · 16% right of 187 independent sources among the outlets we track, across 32 stories.

Every storyoldest first

  1. October 2023

    Oct 25– 26Two dozen US military personnel suffered minor injuries in recent drone attacks, official says7 articles · 7 independent sources
    1 left, 3 center, 3 right
  2. Oct 27US strikes 2 Iran-linked sites in Syria in retaliation for attacks on US troops105 articles · 63 independent sources
    8 left, 13 center, 8 right
  3. Oct 30US forces have been attacked 23 times in Iraq, Syria since Hamas assault on Israel6 articles · 5 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 0 right

  4. November 2023

    Nov 8– 9U.S. launches airstrike in Syria in response to attacks by Iranian-backed militias23 articles · 23 independent sources
    2 left, 8 center, 2 right
  5. Nov 8– 9US strikes Iran-linked weapons storage site in Syria17 articles · 14 independent sources
    1 left, 4 center, 2 right
  6. Nov 9– 13US conducts airstrikes against Iran-backed groups in Syria, retaliating for attacks on US troops - The Daily Reporter68 articles · 47 independent sources
    6 left, 11 center, 6 right
  7. Nov 21– 22US Forces Strike Iran-Backed Group After Ballistic Missile Attack6 articles · 6 independent sources
    0 left, 2 center, 3 right
  8. Nov 22US strikes kill eight pro-Iran fighters in Iraq, angering Baghdad5 articles · 3 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 0 right
  9. Nov 22U.S. fighter aircraft strike Iraqi Hezbollah targets after attacks on bases6 articles · 6 independent sources
    1 left, 1 center, 1 right

  10. December 2023

    Dec 8A rocket attack targets the US Embassy in Baghdad, causing minor damage but no casualties19 articles · 15 independent sources
    0 left, 6 center, 3 right
  11. Dec 11Iraq scrambles to contain fighting between U.S troops, Iran-backed groups, fearing Gaza spillover5 articles · 5 independent sources
    2 left, 2 center, 1 right
  12. Dec 26Biden Orders Strike on Iranian-Aligned Group After 3 US Troops Injured in Drone Attack in Iraq52 articles · 32 independent sources
    4 left, 7 center, 1 right
  13. Dec 26US airstrikes hit Kataib Hezbollah sites in Iraq after attack on US troops15 articles · 14 independent sources
    0 left, 5 center, 5 right

  14. January 2024

    Jan 23– 24US conducts strikes on facilities in Iraq used by Iran-backed militia group31 articles · 19 independent sources
    1 left, 6 center, 5 right
  15. Jan 24US carries out airstrikes on Iranian-backed militias in Iraq5 articles · 5 independent sources
    2 left, 1 center, 2 right
  16. Jan 27– 29Israel-Hamas war: Iran denies links to Jordan drone strike – DW8 articles · 5 independent sources
    1 left, 1 center, 0 right
  17. Jan 28– Feb 1US blames group of Iran-backed militias for deadly drone attack in Jordan as it weighs reprisals231 articles · 91 independent sources
    21 left, 44 center, 22 right
  18. Jan 28– 30What Is Tower 22, the Military Base that Was Attacked in Jordan Where 3 US Troops Were Killed?13 articles · 12 independent sources
    2 left, 2 center, 1 right
  19. Jan 29– Feb 3Biden’s balancing act with Iran aims for deterrence, not a wider war28 articles · 18 independent sources
    4 left, 7 center, 4 right
  20. Jan 29– 31Biden Says U.S. Response to Deadly Drone Strike in Jordan Has Been Decided90 articles · 54 independent sources
    6 left, 13 center, 8 right
  21. Jan 30– Feb 2US retaliates after deadly drone attack on Jordan base that killed 3 service members17 articles · 10 independent sources
    1 left, 6 center, 2 right
  22. Jan 30– 31Iran threatens to ‘decisively respond' to any US attack as Biden weighs response to Jordan assault28 articles · 21 independent sources
    5 left, 5 center, 2 right
  23. Jan 30– Feb 2US bolsters defenses around Jordan base as it readies strikes in response to drone attack10 articles · 10 independent sources
    0 left, 4 center, 1 right
  24. Jan 31Kataib Hezbollah announces halt of attacks on US forces5 articles · 5 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 0 right

  25. February 2024

    Feb 1– 3What we know about US strikes on Iran-linked targets in Iraq and Syria61 articles · 29 independent sources
    7 left, 12 center, 6 right
  26. Feb 2– 3Biden attends dignified transfer of 3 US troops killed in Jordan drone attack68 articles · 39 independent sources
    9 left, 12 center, 5 right
  27. Feb 2– 3US begins strikes on militias in Iraq, Syria, retaliating for fatal drone attack, officials tell AP60 articles · 41 independent sources
    8 left, 13 center, 7 right
  28. Feb 3An Iranian-backed militia official downplays the US strikes in Iraq, hints at deescalation15 articles · 15 independent sources
    1 left, 5 center, 1 right
  29. Feb 5US warns of further retaliation if Iran-backed militias continue their attacks7 articles · 5 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 0 right
  30. Feb 7US conducts strike in Iraq on Kataib Hezbollah commander responsible for attacks on US5 articles · 5 independent sources
    1 left, 3 center, 0 right
  31. Feb 13Funerals getting underway in Georgia for 3 Army Reserve soldiers killed in Jordan drone attack8 articles · 7 independent sources
    2 left, 2 center, 1 right

  32. December 2024

    Dec 17Two charged in connection with Iran drone strike that killed 3 US troops in the Middle East32 articles · 22 independent sources
    3 left, 6 center, 2 right