Ballistic Missile Attack on Al-Asad Airbase
Several U.S. service members were injured in a ballistic missile attack by Iranian-backed militias on Al-Asad Airbase in Iraq, Pentagon officials said Monday.
The attack Sunday night on U.S. and coalition forces involved a close-range ballistic missile and resulted in eight injuries and minor infrastructural damage, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, a Pentagon spokesperson, said in a statement.
U.S. military responded with a retaliatory strike, which was not pre-planned, killing several Iranian-backed militia personnel, CBS News learned.
"Immediately following the attack, a U.S. military AC-130 aircraft in the area conducted a self-defense strike against an Iranian-backed militia vehicle and a number of Iranian-backed militia personnel involved in this attack," Ryder said in his statement.
In a tweet, U.S. Central Command said the U.S. gunship "maintained visual confirmation of the individuals from the time of the launch to the time of engagement."
The U.S. service members wounded in the attack are still being evaluated, a Pentagon official told CBS News, adding that this was the 66th attack against American-affiliated military bases in Iraq and Syria since Oct. 17.
The increase in assaults is happening at a time when there is global concern that the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas could escalate into a larger war that engulfs the entire Middle East.
According to Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh, Iranian-backed groups have been using a combination of drones and rockets to target U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria. However, this recent attack on American troops is the first time a short-range missile has been used since October 17. Singh made this announcement during a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.
Out of the 66 attacks that have taken place in the past month, 32 occurred in Iraq and 34 in Syria, as stated by Singh. She also mentioned that these attacks have resulted in approximately 62 U.S. personnel injuries, not including the injuries from the recent attack on Sunday.
When asked if the U.S. will launch preemptive strikes to prevent further attacks, Singh replied, "We have not ruled anything out or taken anything off the table. We believe that we have taken appropriate action to destroy some of their facilities and weapons, but we always reserve the right to respond at the time and place of our choosing."
Last month, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated, "The United States does not seek conflict and has no intention or desire to engage in further hostilities, but these Iranian-backed attacks against U.S. forces are unacceptable and must cease."
