Iraq: Five missiles hit army base hosting US troops say Iraqi security officials

At least five missiles hit a sprawling Iraqi army base hosting US troops in the country's western desert on Monday, two Iraqi security officials said.

The officials said the Grad missiles struck inside the Ain al-Asad base in Iraq's western Anbar province and caused minor damages but no casualties.

The officials said the missiles hit only a few meters (yards) from where US forces are stationed. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to brief the media.

Reports of a rocket attack targeting Ain al-Assad military base in Anbar province, western #Iraq.
The base houses US military advisors/troops.

— Baxtiyar Goran ☀️ (@BaxtiyarGoran) May 30, 2022

The culprits were not immediately known, but the US has previously accused Iran-backed Iraqi militia groups of targeting the American presence in Iraq, including the US Embassy in Baghdad.

The attacks were once a frequent occurrence but have decreased in recent months.

In March, Iran attacked Iraq’s northern city of Erbil with a dozen ballistic missiles claiming it was targeting Israeli spy centres. Iraq later said an investigation found there was no Israeli presence in the areas. The attack was also considered a warning to the US, a staunch ally of Israel.

US-led coalition forces recently ended their combat mission in Iraq, but continue to play an advisory role to Iraqi forces in the fight against the Islamic State extremist group.