US Soldiers Wounded in Attack on Military Base in Iraq

At least 5 members of the US military have been injured in an attack on a military base in Iraq. This information was reported to Reuters by US officials.

According to two Iraqi sources, two Katyusha rockets were fired at the Al Asad airbase located in western Iraq, landing inside the compound. It remains unclear whether this attack is related to Iran's threats of vengeance for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31.

On August 5, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin discussed the attack on US forces stationed at the Al Asad airbase during a phone call with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant. According to a statement released by the Pentagon, both sides emphasized that this is a 'dangerous escalation and shows Iran's destabilizing role in the region.'

Last week, the US conducted strikes in Iraq against several individuals deemed a threat to US and coalition forces, who were reportedly preparing to launch drones. The risk of escalating conflict in the Middle East has increased following Haniyeh's assassination, as well as the killing of senior Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukri in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut.

Iran has claimed that the US plays a role in Haniyeh's assassination by supporting Israel. The Pentagon, in turn, has announced that additional fighter jets and naval vessels will be deployed to the Middle East to strengthen defense against threats from Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah.

There are currently 2,500 American soldiers in Iraq. Baghdad wants the US-led coalition to begin withdrawing troops from the country in September and to complete this process by September 2025. According to Iraqi sources, some American forces may remain in an advisory role.