US personnel injured in attack on airbase in Iraq
Several US personnel have been injured following a suspected rocket attack on an American military base in Iraq, according to US officials.
This incident comes at a time when US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has emphasized the critical situation in the Middle East after the recent deaths of senior Hamas and Hezbollah leaders.
The Al Asad airbase in western Iraq was targeted in the attack, and officials are currently assessing the extent of the damage. The perpetrators of the attack have not been identified.
Security sources reported to CBS News that two Katyusha rockets were fired at the base, with one landing inside the facility.
A Department of Defense spokesperson confirmed the suspected rocket attack on US and Coalition forces at Al Asad Airbase. They noted that several US personnel were injured and that base personnel are conducting a damage assessment.
The exact number of injured personnel is not yet known. A senior US military official stated that no critical injuries or fatalities have been reported so far.
President Joe Biden has been briefed on the situation, according to a White House official. In a statement on X, President Biden mentioned that he and Vice President Kamala Harris were updated in the Situation Room on recent developments in the Middle East.
“We received updates on threats posed by Iran and its proxies, diplomatic efforts to de-escalate regional tensions, and preparations to support Israel should it be attacked again,” the president said.
“We also discussed the steps we are taking to defend our forces and respond to any attack against our personnel in a manner and place of our choosing.”
The attack comes after the US carried out a strike in Iraq last week that was described as an act of self-defense against militants who officials said were preparing to launch drones against US and coalition forces in the region.
Tensions have been escalating following the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in Tehran last Wednesday by a blast at his guesthouse.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) has accused Israel of killing Haniyeh and said it was supported by the US. Israel has not commented on Haniyeh’s death.
Also last week, Israel said it killed a top Hezbollah commander in an air strike on a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon’s capital.
Both Iran and Hezbollah have threatened to retaliate against Israel for the killings.
The Al Asad base was attacked in January this year by Iranian-backed militias, who launched ballistic missiles and rockets – most of which were intercepted, US Central Command said at the time.
A number of US personnel were assessed for traumatic brain injuries after the attack, while at least one Iraqi service member was wounded.
The airbase has been used by the US since 2004, following the invasion of Iraq, and has been visited by former US presidents George W Bush and later Donald Trump.
