US forces in Ain al-Assad Airbase in western Iraq came under attack on Saturday in the largest barrage thus far in the Al Aqsa Flood battle.
The attack was carried out with several large caliber rockets fired from multiple directions toward the airbase, with reports stating between 20 and 40 rockets and/or missiles fired at the base.
Some reports state that at least 10 rockets directly hit the airbase’s wing or its vicinity.
In the same context, Iraqi media outlets have reported on initial observations regarding the detection of a large barrage of rockets launched in the direction of the American military base.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement it released. The statement said the attack was carried out “in response to the massacres of the Zionist entity against our people in Gaza.”
The airbase is located in al-Anbar Governorate and is one of two US-operated occupation airbases in the West Asian country.
US troops injured in attack
Reuters, citing an unnamed US official, reported that US personnel suffered injuries as a result of Saturday’s attack on Iraq’s Ain al-Assad air base Saturday.
The official who spoke on condition of anonymity told Reuters that the initial report is based on preliminary data and is subject to change, as the US forces assess their losses.
Importantly, the official said the initial reports indicate that the base was hit by several ballistic missiles but left open the possibility that the base was hit by rockets.
US suffers 140+ attacks
The United States military has come under constant attacks in Syria and Iraq since October 17. The majority of the 140+ operations have been adopted by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a collection of Islamic Resistance factions that operate under a collective wing.
Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh admitted earlier this week that US forces in the region came under attack 140 times. Speaking during a press briefing on Thursday, Singh disclosed that the attacks have been “persistent and alarming.”
“To date, there have been approximately 140 attacks on US troops in Iraq and Syria: 57 attacks in Iraq and 83 attacks in Syria,” she stated.
The Pentagon has reported a significant toll on its personnel, with nearly 70 military members wounded and one non-combatant contractor losing their life as a result of these attacks.
The Iraqi resistance and the Iraqi state have demanded the end of the US occupation of the country, as the region continues pushing for a sustained anti-colonial resistance drive.
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