Rockets Hit Iraqi Base Housing U.S. Troops, No Casualties Reported
The U.S. has previously accused Iran of attacks on the Ain al-Asad air base, which was also targeted by a drone last month
At least three rockets landed on Monday on the Ain al-Asad air base, which hosts U.S. and other international forces in western Iraq, but caused no casualties, a coalition spokesman said.
U.S. Army Colonel Wayne Marotto, spokesman for the U.S.-led international military coalition, tweeted that initial reports suggested the attack took place at 2:45 P.M. He said the damage was being assessed.
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The United States accuses Iran-backed militia groups of launching regular rocket attacks against its troops in Iraq. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Monday's attack.
This came after air defenses at the air base intercepted and shot down two drones last month.
Currently, there are about 2,500 American military personnel in Iraq after the United States withdrew a similar number following the Iraqi parliament’s decision in January 2020 to expel all U.S. troops from the country in response to the assassination of Iranian Quds Force chief Qassem Soleimani.
Although the U.S. has already begun its pullout from Afghanistan, the Biden administration has no parallel plan for a similar withdrawal from Iraq.