A rocket attack targeting U.S. personnel at Ain al Asad Air Base in Iraq’s western desert injured several American troops late Monday, according to U.S. defense officials. The attack is similar to previous ones carried out by Iran-backed Iraqi armed groups, which have increased their activity following the beginning of Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza in October.
The latest attack involved at least two rockets hitting within the base’s perimeter, with initial reports indicating that at least five people, including both U.S. troops and contractors, were injured. This base has faced repeated attacks over the past few weeks, including one late last month on a small U.S. base in eastern Syria where U.S. special operations forces collaborate with Syrian Kurdish troops against the Islamic State.
This attack comes amid heightened tensions in the region, with Israel and its allies bracing for potential reprisals from Iran following the killings of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah leader Fuad Shukr in Beirut. While Israel has confirmed its involvement in the attack on Shukr, it has not commented on Haniyeh’s killing. Iran has indicated that any retaliatory attack will involve its proxy forces, including Hezbollah, the Houthis in Yemen, and militants in Iraq.
Iraqi militants have historically targeted U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria, as well as Israel using longer-range rockets. The region remains on high alert for a broader conflict, similar to Iran’s attack on Israel in April in response to the killing of senior leaders of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps in Damascus, Syria.
It remains unclear whether the rocket attack on Ain al Asad Air Base was part of a broader response or a continuation of ongoing efforts by Iran-backed groups to expel U.S. forces from Iraq. No group has claimed responsibility for Monday’s attack.
Negotiations between Iraqi defense officials and the Pentagon are ongoing regarding the reconfiguration and downsizing of U.S. and multinational forces in the region. The Iraqi government is divided, with factions close to Iran advocating for a rapid U.S. withdrawal, while others, including many defense officials, favor a limited, longer-term U.S. presence.
There are approximately 2,500 American troops in Iraq and 900 in Syria, where the Islamic State has regained activity. The White House stated that President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have been briefed on the attack and are discussing steps to defend U.S. forces and respond to any attacks in a manner and place of their choosing.
Following a July 16 drone attack on the Ain al Asad base, which did not result in injuries, the U.S. military bombed a small drone factory in Jurf al Sakhar, killing four fighters from the Iranian-backed group Kata’ib Hezbollah and a Houthi commander.
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