A number of US personnel have been injured after a suspected rocket assault on an American navy base in Iraq, US officers have mentioned.
The assault comes as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned the Center East was at a essential second following the killings of senior leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah.
Officers instructed the BBC’s accomplice CBS Information that the Al Asad airbase in western Iraq was attacked and that they’re nonetheless assessing the harm.
They haven’t but mentioned who was behind the assault.
Safety sources instructed CBS that two Katyusha rockets have been fired on the base, and that one had fallen inside the bottom.
“We are able to verify that there was a suspected rocket assault in the present day in opposition to US and Coalition forces at Al Asad Airbase, Iraq,” mentioned a Division of Defence spokesperson.
“Preliminary indications are that a number of US personnel have been injured. Base personnel are conducting a post-attack harm evaluation,” the spokesperson added.
It’s unclear what number of US personnel have been injured, or the extent of their accidents.
President Joe Biden was briefed on the suspected assault, a White Home official mentioned.
The assault comes after the US carried out a strike in Iraq final week that was described as an act of self-defence in opposition to militants who officers mentioned have been getting ready to launch drones in opposition to US and coalition forces within the area.
Tensions have been escalating following the demise of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in Tehran final Wednesday by a blast at his guesthouse.
Iran’s revolutionary guard (IRGC) has accused Israel of killing Haniyeh and mentioned it was supported by the US. Israel has not commented on Haniyeh’s demise.
Additionally final week, Israel mentioned it killed a prime Hezbollah commander in an air strike on a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon’s capital.
Each Iran and Hezbollah have threatened to retaliate in opposition to Israel for the killings.
The Al Asad base was attacked in January this yr by Iranian-backed militias, who launched ballistic missiles and rockets – most of which have been intercepted, US Central Command mentioned on the time.
Various US personnel have been assessed for traumatic mind accidents after the assault, whereas a minimum of one Iraqi service member was wounded.
The airbase has been utilized by the US since 2004, following the invasion of Iraq, and has been visited by former US presidents George W Bush and later Donald Trump.
