Several US personnel have been injured after a suspected rocket attack on an American military base in Iraq, according to US officials. The attack occurred as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that the Middle East was at a critical moment following the recent killings of senior leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah.
Officials informed BBC’s partner CBS News that the Al Asad Airbase, located in western Iraq, was targeted, and an assessment of the damage is ongoing. The identity of those responsible for the attack has not yet been disclosed.
Security sources reported to CBS that two Katyusha rockets were fired at the base, with at least one landing inside the facility. A Department of Defense spokesperson confirmed the incident, stating, “We can confirm that there was a suspected rocket attack today against US and Coalition forces at Al Asad Airbase, Iraq.”
“Initial indications are that several US personnel were injured. Base personnel are conducting a post-attack damage assessment,” the spokesperson added. The exact number of US personnel injured and the severity of their injuries remain unclear.
President Joe Biden has been briefed on the suspected attack, a White House official confirmed.
The attack comes amid heightened tensions following a US airstrike in Iraq last week, which was described as an act of self-defense against militants. Officials warned of potential retaliatory actions against US and coalition forces in the region.
These tensions have been escalating following the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was reportedly killed in Lebanon last Wednesday by a blast at his guesthouse. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) has accused Israel of killing Haniyeh, though Israel has not commented on his death.
Additionally, Israel recently killed a top Hezbollah commander in an airstrike on the outskirts of Beirut, Lebanon’s capital. Both Hamas and Hezbollah have vowed retaliation against Israel for the killings, further increasing the potential for conflict in the region.
The recent attack on Al Asad Airbase underscores the precarious security situation in the Middle East, where rising tensions between regional powers and militant groups threaten to destabilize the area further. The US military is on high alert as it assesses the implications of these developments.
bbc.com/cbs
