The strike on the US base in Jordan will provoke a stronger response in the United States than Washington has done so far after Hamas' attack on Israel. Bloomberg writes about this with reference to an official familiar with the situation, UNN reports.
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One possibility for responding to the attack is a covert action that would lead to the U.S. striking Iran without taking credit, but sending a clear message.
The Biden administration could also target Iranian officials directly, as former President Donald Trump did when he ordered the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad in 2020.
Regardless of the outcome, the attack puts Biden in front of a decision that will be one of the most significant of his presidency. He wants to punish those responsible for the attack and deter Iran from its actions in the region. But this could lead the United States to a direct confrontation with Tehran's leadership, which has already bolded itself in the region after the Hamas attack, launching attacks in Iraq and Pakistan.
Biden must also weigh the potential for further economic turmoil as the U.S. battles Houthi militants, another Iranian proxy that has disrupted global shipping and raised fears of new economic turmoil.
Oil prices jumped after a deadly attack on US troops and a Houthi missile strike on a fuel tanker on Friday. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 1.6% to its highest level since November at the start of the trading week.
Such an escalation also risks undermining U.S. efforts to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza that could help end the conflict.
One way or another, analysts argue that the United States is on the verge of getting even more involved in the regional conflict. The United States has launched dozens of strikes against Iranian proxies in Iraq and Syria, and has also launched a wave of strikes against the Houthis in Yemen.