At least two Katyusha rockets struck the Ayn al-Asad Airbase in Iraq’s western province of Anbar on Sunday.
The airbase houses U.S. military experts and agencies. The attack occurred in the early morning near the town of al-Baghdadi, approximately 190 km northwest of Baghdad.
An Iraqi army officer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the rocket attacks.
Fortunately, there are no immediate reports of casualties, and the damage is reported to be minor.
No group has claimed responsibility for the rocket attack. In recent days, a militia group calling itself “the Islamic Resistance in Iraq” has claimed responsibility for launching rocket and drone attacks on military bases housing U.S. forces across Iraq. The group has also claimed responsibility for similar attacks on U.S. military forces in Syria.
This attack follows a series of incidents targeting U.S. military installations in the region, including drone attacks that caused minor injuries to some troops.
Additionally, Iraqi armed groups with ties to Iran had threatened to target U.S. interests with missiles and drones in response to potential U.S. support for Israel against Hamas in Gaza.
The United States maintains approximately 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 more in neighboring Syria.
Their mission is to advise and assist local forces in the fight against the Islamic State, which had seized significant territory in both countries in 2014.
