‘Several’ US personnel injured in rocket attack on Iraq base with blame laid on Iran-aligned militia groups
6 August 2024, 08:36
Several US personnel were injured in a suspected rocket attack at a military base in Iraq, US defence officials said on Monday, in what has been a recent rise in strikes on American forces.
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The attack comes as tensions across the Middle East are spiking after the killings last week of a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon and Hamas' top political leader in Iran.
The US defence officials said troops at al-Asad air base were still assessing the damage.
“We can confirm that there was a suspected rocket attack today against US and Coalition forces at Al-Asad Airbase, Iraq,” the official said. “Initial indications are that several US personnel were injured. Base personnel are conducting a post-attack damage assessment.”
The US Defense Department late Monday blamed Iran-aligned militia groups for the attack, calling it a “dangerous escalation.”
In the wake of recent events, the Middle East finds itself on a knife's edge. The region has been plunged into turmoil following a series of high-profile assassinations that have sent shockwaves through multiple nations.
The killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week has cast a long shadow over the region. Israel maintains a conspicuous silence on the matter, neither confirming nor denying involvement. Meanwhile, the United States stands on high alert, anticipating potential Iranian reprisals against its close ally.
Adding fuel to the fire, Hezbollah lost one of its top commanders to an assassination in Beirut mere hours before Haniyeh's demise. The Lebanese militant group has publicly sworn vengeance against Israel, further ratcheting up the already palpable tension.
It is against this backdrop of simmering hostilities and vows of retaliation that the latest attack unfolds, threatening to push the region closer to the brink of open conflict.
A Pentagon readout of a call between US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the two men “agreed that today’s Iran-aligned militia attack on U.S. forces stationed at Al-Asad Airbase in western Iraq marked a dangerous escalation and demonstrated Iran’s destabilizing role in the region.”
Austin reiterated to Gallant “unwavering U.S. commitment to Israel’s security in the face of threats from Iran, Lebanese Hizballah, and other Iran-aligned militia groups,” according to the readout.
Earlier on Monday, Iraqi security officials confirmed the attack, but no group has claimed responsibility.
In recent weeks, Iranian-backed Iraqi militias have resumed attacks on bases housing US forces in Iraq and Syria after a lull of several months.
