US soldiers attacked with rocket strike on Iraq military base | World | News
Multiple US soldiers have been injured in a rocket strike on a military base in Iraq just one day after Secretary of Defence Antony Blinken issued a chilling warning about the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
According to reports, “several” soldiers have been injured following the attack on the Ain al-Assad base, which was conducted using two Soviet-made Katyusha rockets.
The base hosts American troops and personnel from the US-led coalition against ISIS, and has been subject to a series of attacks recently.
This comes amid US fears of an Iranian strike on Israel, heightening the tensions in the region and sparking fears of an all out war.
Israel has been blamed for the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut, which prompted a worrying response from Blinken.
He told the G7 that a retaliatory attack was imminent, adding that Washington is “engaged in intense diplomacy, pretty much around the clock” to help calm tensions.
He said: “All parties must refrain from escalation. All parties must take steps to ease tensions. Escalation is not in anyone’s interests. It will only lead to more conflict, more violence, more insecurity.”
Blinken also called for parties to “break this cycle” of violence and agree to a ceasefire in the war on Gaza after the killing of Haniyeh, who was a key figure in Israel–Hamas negotiations.
He said: “What it comes down to really is all parties finding ways to come to an agreement, not look for reasons to delay or to say no. It is urgent that all parties make the right choices in the hours and days ahead.”
Joe Biden has also revealed that he and Kamala Harris were both briefed “in developments in the Middle East” and “updates on threats posed by Iran and its proxies.”
The president wrote on X: “Earlier, @VP and I were briefed in the Situation Room on developments in the Middle East.
“We received updates on threats posed by Iran and its proxies, diplomatic efforts to de-escalate regional tensions, and preparations to support Israel should it be attacked again.
“We also discussed the steps we are taking to defend out forces and respond to any attack against our personnel in a manner and place of our choosing.”
