On Monday, a military base in Iraq was struck by two rockets, resulting in injuries to five U.S. service members and two contractors, as confirmed by U.S. officials on Tuesday. The attack took place at the al-Asad airbase, with five of the injured individuals receiving treatment at the base while the other two were evacuated. Fortunately, all seven individuals are reported to be in stable condition, providing some relief amidst the concerning incident.
These rocket strikes are part of a recent surge in attacks on U.S. forces by Iranian-backed militias, adding to the escalating tensions in the Middle East. However, it is noted that this particular attack is not believed to be linked to the recent targeted killings of key figures from Hezbollah and Hamas, both supported by Iran, in separate incidents suspected to be Israeli strikes.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss military operations, officials highlighted the resurgence of attacks by Iranian-backed Iraqi militias on bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria. This resurgence follows a previous attack in late January on a base in Jordan, which resulted in the tragic deaths of three American soldiers and subsequent retaliatory strikes by the U.S.
Over the past few months, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group, has claimed responsibility for a series of attacks targeting U.S. forces. These attacks were purportedly in retaliation for perceived U.S. support of Israel in its conflict with Hamas in Gaza, with the ultimate goal of pressuring the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the region.
