Arizona National Guard members wounded in Jordan drone strike. Here's what we know

"Multiple" Arizona National Guard troops were wounded in a drone strike that killed three U.S. troops and injured dozens in northeast Jordan near the Syria border on Sunday, according to a spokesperson for the unit.

Three Guard troops were being medically evacuated for further care but were expected to recover.

The U.S. Department of Defense identified the three soldiers killed as Sgt. William Jerome Rivers of Carrollton, Georgia; Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders of Waycross, Georgia; and Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett of Savannah, Georgia.

Here is what we know about the first attack with U.S. deaths by Iranian-backed militant groups since the Israel-Hamas war started on Oct. 7.

What happened in the Jordan drone strike?

The Associated Press reported that the drone may have been mistakenly identified as an American drone returning to the U.S. installation, according to two U.S. officials who weren't authorized to comment and requested anonymity.

The officials say preliminary information suggests the enemy drone that struck the installation known as Tower 22 may have been mistaken for an American drone that was in the air at the same time. The officials added that as the enemy drone was flying in at a low altitude, a U.S. drone was returning to base. As a result, there was no effort to shoot down the enemy drone.

Asked if the failure to shoot down the enemy drone was "human error," Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh responded that the U.S. Central Command was still assessing the matter.

Drone strike kills 3 US troops: Here's how Arizona's congressional delegation responded

Who attacked?

Singh said on Monday that an Iran-backed militia was responsible for the attack but officials were still working on narrowing the exact group or groups down.

"It has the footprints of Kataib Hezbollah," Singh said. "But not making a final assessment on that, our teams here are continuing to do the analysis. We know that Iran is behind it. And certainly, as we've said before ... Iran continues to arm and equip these groups to launch these attacks, and we will certainly hold them responsible."

Who was killed, wounded in the attack?

The U.S. Department of Defense on Monday identified the three soldiers killed as Sgt. William Jerome Rivers of Carrollton, Georgia; Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders of Waycross, Georgia; and Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett of Savannah, Georgia. They were assigned to the 718th Engineer Company, 926th Engineer Battalion, 926th Engineer Brigade with Fort Moore, Georgia.

The bodies of the three soldiers returned to the U.S. on Friday for burial. Sanders and Moffett were posthumously promoted to sergeant rank. Rivers was posthumously promoted to staff sergeant.

The Defense Department said more than 40 service members were injured in the attack — the majority of whom were with the Arizona National Guard.

Capt. Erin Hannigan, an Arizona National Guard spokesperson, issued an update on Monday evening saying multiple troops with the Arizona National Guard 1st Battalion, 158th Infantry Regiment, Bushmasters were injured. Three were medically evacuated for further care but were expected to recover.

Hannigan said one of the service members evacuated was among three people medically evacuated to Landstuhl, Germany, for future care.

"More than half of the wounded Arizona service members have returned to duty; the additional injured are receiving further evaluation and medical treatment for non-life-threatening injuries," Hannigan said. "Injuries range from lacerations to possible concussions pending traumatic brain injury assessment."

Hannigan previously said half of the wounded Arizona service members had returned to duty, while the remaining soldiers were undergoing further evaluation and medical treatment for injuries that were not life-threatening.

At a Saturday news conference in Phoenix, Maj. Gen. Kerry L. Muehlenbeck, Arizona National Guard adjutant general, said there were typical blast injuries as well as bumps and bruises. Hannigan previously said the injuries included lacerations and possible concussions.

"We're fortunate that we have the bulk that have returned to service. We're taking care of those that were injured," Muehlenbeck said.

Muehlenbeck said she met several times with one Guard member in the town of Landstuhl, Germany, where the female soldier was transferred for medical care. The general mentioned she gave the soldier a Starbucks drink. The soldier, who has not been identified, was back in the U.S. at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland, according to Hannigan.

"The solider (is) definitely in good spirits, certainly well on the road to recovery," Muehlenbeck said, adding, "That soldier has to move forward at their individual pace, which means, we heal physically, but there are still certain, some emotional or mental wounds that may surface, if not now, then later on, so we go at their pace."

How are U.S. leaders responding?

More than 85 targets in Iraq and Syria used by Iran-backed militias and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard were targeted Friday in an air assault by the U.S. military. The targets included command and control headquarters, intelligence centers, rockets and missiles, drone and ammunition storage sites.

"Our response began today. It will continue at times and places of our choosing," President Joe Biden said Friday, adding, “Let all those who might seek to do us harm know this: If you harm an American, we will respond."

An explanation for how the enemy drone evaded U.S. air defenses on the installation came as the White House said Monday it is not looking for war with Iran.

And on Saturday, U.S. and British forces struck 36 targets operated by Iranian-backed Houthis located at 13 locations in Yemen.

Targets were reportedly struck by U.S. F/A-18 fighter jets from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier and by the USS Gravely and the USS Carney Navy destroyers firing Tomahawk missiles from the Red Sea.

U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, previously expressed support for retaliation against the drone attack perpetrators.

"We cannot stand idle to terrorism. I am committed to providing the administration the needed resources to protect our troops in the region and hold Iran accountable," Gallego said in a statement released Sunday.

"These Iran-backed militias had to be held accountable for the attack that killed three U.S. servicemembers and injured dozens more, including Arizonans," said Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., in a Friday evening Facebook post. "This is a necessary response to diminish their capabilities and make clear that threats against U.S. personnel will not stand."

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs posted a comment on X, formerly known as Twitter, lamenting for those injured in the attack.

"I am heartbroken to hear reports of the Arizona National Guardsmen wounded in action during the attack in Jordan," Hobbs stated. "I’m actively monitoring the situation and my administration is in contact with AZ NG Adjutant General Muehlenbeck. We are ready to offer support for the Guardsmen and their families, and will be prepared to take action as the situation develops."

Hobbs said during a Monday afternoon news conference, which focused on her plan to renew a school funding measure known as Proposition 123, that she could not comment on the status of Arizona Guard members. "I'm not able to say anything at this point. We have very preliminary information that I'm not at liberty to share," she said.

Several Arizona congressional leaders issued swift responses to the drone attack on Sunday.

"I am devastated to hear that Arizona National Guardsmen are among those injured in the drone strike in Jordan," Gallego posted on X. "My thoughts are with the Guardsmen and their families as they recover. My office is reaching out to the Guard for info. We stand ready to assist however we can."

"I join all Arizonans in mourning the loss of these brave heroes and wishing the injured troops a quick and full recovery," Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"Sen. Kelly has been tracking closely and our office is in touch with AZNG leadership," read a Tuesday morning statement from Kelly's office.

Kelly later posted on X that he and his wife, former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, were reflecting on the troops who were injured.

"Gabby and I are thinking about our Arizona National Guard members who were injured over the weekend and wishing them a full and swift recovery," Kelly said. "Our team is in touch with Arizona National Guard leadership and have offered any assistance they need."

The brazen attack, which the Biden administration blames on Iranian-based proxies, adds another layer of complexity to an already tense Mideast situation as the Biden administration tries to keep the Israel-Hamas war from expanding into a broader regional conflict.

"The president and I will not tolerate attacks on U.S. forces, and we will take all necessary actions to defend the U.S. and our troops," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Monday as he met at the Pentagon with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby reiterated a day after Biden promised to "hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner (of) our choosing" that the U.S. administration was not seeking to get into another conflict in the Middle East.

"We are not looking for a war with Iran. We are not looking to escalate the tensions any more than they already have been escalating," Kirby told reporters. "That said, this was a very serious attack. It had lethal consequences. We will respond, and we respond appropriately."

Kirby said that U.S. officials are still working through determining which militant group was behind the attack. He noted that Iran has long equipped and trained the militias.

Iraq's government condemned the drone strike in an apparent effort to distance itself from an attack likely carried out by the Iranian-backed militias that have a strong presence inside Iraq.

Government spokesman Bassem al-Awadi said in a statement on Monday that Iraq is "monitoring with a great concern the alarming security developments in the region" and called for "an end to the cycle of violence." The statement said that Iraq is ready to participate in diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.

Previously: Arizona National Guard troops injured in drone strike that killed 3 in Jordan

What do we know about the Arizona National Guard?

The National Guard was described as the primary combat reserve for the Army and Air Force, with hundreds of thousands of service members deployed across the world.

"Trained to the same standard as their active-duty counterparts, the Arizona National Guard answers the call in support of a unified goal, actively fighting for the preservation of the American principles and our nation’s security," the Guard states.

The Guard deployed more than 350 service members of the 1-158th Bushmasters in September 2023 to support Operation Spartan Shield where they would support U.S. forces and its allies in various countries for one year, Hannigan said.

Their role in the operation was to "provide law and order and personal security capabilities."

“Our priority is to the soldiers and their families. What impacts them, impacts us all. We continue to gather information, please keep them in your prayers," Hannagan said.

Hannigan said the Arizona National Guard would provide updates as new information becomes available.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, Muehlenbeck said the Arizona National Guard has done nearly 12,000 deployments and there have been several killed in action and many injured.

The Associated Press and USA TODAY contributed to this article.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona National Guard members wounded in drone strike: What we know