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On June 20, a rocket attack targeted Ain al-Asad Air Base in the western Iraqi province of al-Anbar. The base, where US troops are known to be deployed, was targeted on several occasions in the last few months.
In a statement, the Iraqi Security Media Cell said that a single Katyusha [107 mm] rocket landed inside the air base. No losses were reported as the rocket failed to explode.
“Security forces are investigating the fall of a Katyusha rocket … that was launched from the direction of al-Baghdadi area towards Ain al-Asad Air Base,” the statement reads.
According to Iraqi sources, the launcher and a second rocket, which failed to fire, were found by security forces in al-Shuhada district in al-Baghdadi.
After the attack, warplanes of the US-led coalition were spotted conducting a reconnaissance sortie over Ain al-Asad Air Base.
Iranian-backed groups were likely behind the attack. Last year, they stepped up their operations against US forces in response to the assassination of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Deputy-Commander of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units, and Commander of Iran’s Quds Force, Qassim Soleimani.
Recently, several rocket attacks were foiled in different parts of Iraq. Nevertheless, the US-led coalition is yet to put an end to these attacks.
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