In the presence of U.S. President Joe Biden, the remains of three American soldiers killed in a drone attack in Jordan arrived in the United States on Friday. The soldiers, Sergeant William Jerome Rivers, Specialist Kennedy Ladon Sanders, and Specialist Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, were honored at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, marking a solemn occasion known as a “dignified transfer.”
President Biden, alongside families, privately met with relatives before participating in the ceremonial transfer. With a hand over his heart, Biden paid respects as the flag-draped transfer cases were carried out one by one. The president had earlier expressed condolences in a phone call to the families.
Accompanied by the first lady, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and Air Force General Charles Q. Brown, Biden bowed his head in prayer during the transfer. The drone attack by Iran-backed militants at the American outpost, Tower 22, resulted in the deaths of the soldiers and injuries to over 40 others, raising concerns about potential escalation in the Middle East.
Biden, clad in a dark coat, addressed the families, acknowledging their pain and sharing his own experiences of personal loss. The president indicated that he had decided on a response to the Jordan attack, hinting at possible retaliatory measures while emphasizing a desire to avoid war with Iran. The U.S. has attributed the drone used in the attack to Iran.
