United States military personnel have reportedly suffered possible “traumatic brain injuries” after a missile attack on an airbase in Iraq.
The US military said Iran-backed militia reportedly struck the Al Asad airbase with ballistic missiles and rockets. The base houses American troops, reports the BBC.
A number of US personnel are “undergoing evaluation for traumatic brain injuries”. At least one Iraqi service member is also said to have been hurt in the attack.
A group called the Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for the attack. According to the US-based Washington Institute for Near East Policy, the group emerged in late 2023.
It is said to be made up of several Iran-affiliated armed groups operating in Iraq. It has claimed a number of attacks on US troops in recent weeks.
The Al Asad base has been targeted a number of times over the years. US officials say most of the missiles fired on Saturday were intercepted, but some managed to avoid the air defence systems.
It is the latest in a series of attacks on US bases in Iraq and Syria. The attacks have increased since the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The US military and allies have also intervened to stop Houthi missile attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea. The US meanwhile carried out airstrikes against the Houthi rebels on Saturday.
The US said it targeted a launch site for an anti-ship missile. It claimed it “was aimed into the Gulf of Aden and prepared to launch”.
The Iranian military meanwhile has carried out a number of missile strikes in recent days against targets in Syria, Iraq and Pakistan. Iran has accused Israel of carrying out an airstrike in the Syrian capital Damascus, killing five senior members of its security force.
