''The President and I will not tolerate attacks on American forces''. Austin

Speaking about a day after three US soldiers in Syria were killed by a drone attack, the US defense secretary said Sunday said that Iranian-backed militias are responsible for continued attacks on US forces and that "we will respond at a time and place of our choosing."

“I am outraged and deeply saddened by the deaths of three of our US service members and the wounding of other American troops in an attack last night against US and Coalition forces, who were deployed to a site in northeastern Jordan near the Syrian border to work for the lasting defeat of ISIS," Lloyd Austin​​​​​​​ said in a statement to the press, using an alternate acronym for the Daesh terrorist group.

"These brave Americans and their families are in my prayers, and the entire Department of Defense mourns their loss. The President and I will not tolerate attacks on American forces, and we will take all necessary actions to defend the United States, our troops, and our interests," he added.