It is the first time American military personnel have been killed by hostile fire in the Middle East since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, and the incident will further raise tensions in the region and fuel fears of a broader conflict directly involving Iran.

Hamas said the death of the soldiers shows Washington's backing for Israel could put it at odds with the whole Muslim world if innocent lives continue to be lost in Gaza, and that the war there could lead to a "regional explosion."

"While we are still gathering the facts of this attack, we know it was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq," Biden said in a statement on the attack.

Read More (...)