The Iraqi government has condemned an attack that killed three US service members in Jordan, describing it as part of an escalation which threatens regional stability and urging an end to “the cycle of violence”, Reuters reports.

The United States has accused Iran-backed militant groups in Syria and Iraq of carrying out the attack, the first deadly blow against US forces since the eruption of the Gaza conflict touched off violence across the Middle East.

“The Iraqi government condemns the ongoing escalation, particularly the recent attack on the Syrian-Jordanian border, and is closely monitoring with great concern the alarming security developments in the region,” Iraqi government spokesperson Basim Alawadi said in a statement.

The attack took place one day after Iraq and the United States initiated talks on the end of a US-led international military coalition that deployed to Iraq a decade ago as part of the campaign against Islamic State.

Iran-aligned Iraqi militias said they would continue attacks on US forces despite the talks, expected to take months to years with the outcome unclear.