Several U.S. military personnel are believed to be injured after an apparent rocket attack struck an American air base in Iraq, further increasing tensions in the Middle East as the world braces for an Iranian attack on Israel.
Three U.S. officials, citing initial information, told Reuters that the suspected rocket attack happened at the Al Asad airbase in western Iraq Monday. The outlet’s reporting was subsequently corroborated by other news outlets.
“Base personnel are conducting a post-attack damage assessment,” an official told Reuters. Two Katyusha rockets were fired at the base, and one source told Reuters the rockets landed inside the base.
“We can confirm that there was a suspected rocket attack today against U.S. and Coalition forces at Al Asad Airbase, Iraq. Initial indications are that several U.S. personnel were injured. Base personnel are conducting a post-attack damage assessment. We will provide updates as more information becomes available,” a Department of Defense spokesperson told National Review.
The attack on U.S. personnel in Iraq took place after the U.S. launched a defensive airstrike south of Baghdad against militants who were believed to be preparing a drone strike against U.S. and allied forces.
The entire Middle East region is preparing for Iran to retaliate against Israel for the deaths of multiple senior Hezbollah commanders and Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Immediately upon Haniyeh’s death, Hamas promised swift retaliation against Israel that could have “major repercussions across the entire region.” Iran and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps similarly vowed to forcefully punish Israel for the killing of Haniyeh.
The U.S. is adjusting its forces in the Middle East and increasing support for the defense of Israel to mitigate the potential damage caused by an Iranian escalation, the DoD said last week.
“Secretary Austin spoke with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant yesterday to reiterate the United States’ ironclad support for Israel’s security and self-defense against threats from Iran, Lebanese Hezbollah, the Houthis, and other Iranian backed terrorist groups,” Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters Monday.
President Joe Biden and Jordanian King Abdullah II spoke on the phone Monday to discuss de-escalation efforts and reaffirm the strong U.S. relationship with Jordan, a key player in the Middle East.
Although Israel has not publicly claimed responsibility for the attack, the New York Times reported that several U.S. officials agreed with Iran and Hamas’s assessment that Israel carried out the killing. Haniyeh was killed by a bomb stashed inside the guesthouse where he was staying for the inauguration of Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian, the Times reported.
The Israeli Defense Forces claimed responsibility Monday for killing Hezbollah commander Ali Jamal al-Din Jawad in south Lebanon. The IDF believes that eliminating Jawad, a commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan unit, will diminish Hezbollah’s ability to attack northern Israel from southern Lebanon.
Last week, Israel conducted a targeted airstrike in Beirut, killing Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr. Israel said that Shukr was responsible for a deadly attack that killed a dozen children in Israeli-controlled Golan Heights.