U.S. defense officials reported that a suspected rocket attack at a military base in Iraq resulted in injuries to several American personnel. This incident is part of a recent increase in strikes on U.S. forces by Iranian-backed militias in the region. The attack at the al-Asad air base is currently under assessment for injuries and damage caused. Iraqi security officials confirmed the attack, but no specific group has claimed responsibility for it yet. There is rising tension in the Middle East following the recent killings of senior figures from Hezbollah and Hamas, both backed by Iran, in suspected Israeli strikes. The U.S. defense officials provided these details on the condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.
Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria have resumed attacks on bases housing U.S. forces after a period of relative calm. The resurgence in attacks follows an incident in late January where three American soldiers were killed in a base in Jordan, prompting retaliatory strikes by the U.S. Between October and January, a group known as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for attacks, citing reasons such as retaliation against U.S. support for Israel in its conflict with Hamas. The attacks were also aimed at pressuring U.S. troops to leave the region. The situation in the region remains tense as these incidents continue to unfold.
Contributed by:
Associated Press writer Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad
