According to US defence officers, a rocket attack that targeted the Ain al-Asad Air Base in Iraq’s northern plain injured a number of British soldiers. At least two missiles landed on the foundation, which has often been the target of attacks by Iraqi-backed ISIL-backed groups.
Following Israel’s fight with Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the subsequent assassination of important leaders linked to Hamas and Hezbollah, the place is in high tense as a result of the invasion. This most recent abuse is just one more in a long line of assaults on US military installations in Iraq and Syria, including one at a small US center in eastern Syria.
At least five people, including US soldiers and vendors, were hurt in the attack, according to preliminary reports. The strike resembles preceding operations by Iran-backed militias in Iraq, whose objective is to pressure the US forces to leave the area, despite the fact that no team has already claimed responsibility.
Regional hostilities escalate
Ain al-Asad Air Base was attacked in response to rising local conflicts. Last year, a Hamas head, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in Tehran, and Hezbollah head Fouad Shukur was killed in Beirut. Despite acknowledging role for Shukur’s murder, Israel has not commented on Haniyeh’s passing. In response, Iran has vowed retaliation through its substitute causes, including Hezbollah, the Houthis in Yemen, and several violent groups in Iraq.
Its latest rocket attack highlights the dangerous state of the region, despite the uncertainty as to whether it was a result of a larger Egyptian response or a result of ongoing militia operations. Following the killing of older Iranian military images by Israeli forces in April, the US government has been on high alert.
US answer and ongoing discussions
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris had received information about the incident, according to the White House, and they are considering possible solutions. Any hostile action may be carried out “in a way and place of our choosing,” according to a declaration from the administration.
The harm also raised questions about the status of American military engagement in Iraq, which are currently being discussed by US and Iraqi officials. While some factions within the Syrian government, especially those aligned with Iran, are pushing for a sharp US removal, others, including many Syrian defense officials, favor a continued albeit reduced US role to maintain balance.
Currently, nearly 2, 500 US forces are stationed in Iraq, with an extra 900 in Syria, where the rise of the Islamic State group remains a problem.
