Iran launched surface-to-surface missiles early Wednesday local time, targeting a pair of military installations in Iraq that house American troops in retaliation for the United States' targeted killing of an Iranian general.
The attacks targeted an installation in Irbil and the Al Asad air base, U.S. officials confirmed on Tuesday. But what are the bases, and why are they important?
The Al Asad air base, located in the western Anbar province of Iraq, "was first used by American forces after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein. It later saw American troops stationed there amid the fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria," the Associated Press reported.
