Several U.S. troops were wounded in a rocket attack on an air base in Iraq on Monday. The attack targeted the Al Asad air base in western Iraq, which houses U.S. and Iraqi forces.
According to a statement from the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq, the attack involved 14 rockets that were fired at the base. Several U.S. troops were wounded in the attack, but their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
This incident comes amid heightened tensions in the region following the U.S. drone strike that killed top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad earlier this month. Iran retaliated by launching missile strikes on two Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops, including the Al Asad air base.
The U.S. has blamed Iranian-backed militias for a series of rocket attacks on bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq in recent months. These attacks have raised concerns about the safety of U.S. personnel in the region and the potential for further escalation of hostilities between the U.S. and Iran.
In response to the latest rocket attack, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo condemned the actions of the perpetrators and reiterated the U.S. commitment to protecting its personnel in Iraq.
The U.S. has approximately 5,000 troops deployed in Iraq to assist in the fight against the Islamic State group and to train and advise Iraqi security forces. The presence of U.S. troops in Iraq has been a contentious issue, with some Iraqi lawmakers calling for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country in the wake of the Soleimani killing.
The rocket attack on the Al Asad air base serves as a reminder of the ongoing security challenges facing U.S. troops in Iraq and the broader Middle East. The U.S. military will continue to monitor the situation and take appropriate measures to ensure the safety and security of its personnel in the region.