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A number of U.S. service members have been injured in a ballistic missile assault by Iranian-backed militias on Al-Asad Airbase in Iraq, Pentagon officers mentioned Tuesday.
The assault Monday night time on U.S. and coalition forces concerned a close-range ballistic missile and resulted in eight accidents and minor infrastructural harm, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, a Pentagon spokesperson, mentioned in an announcement.
U.S. navy responded with a retaliatory strike, which was not pre-planned, killing a number of Iranian-backed militia personnel, CBS Information realized.
“Instantly following the assault, a U.S. navy AC-130 plane within the space performed a self-defense strike in opposition to an Iranian-backed militia car and various Iranian-backed militia personnel concerned on this assault,” Ryder mentioned in his assertion.
In a tweet, U.S. Central Command mentioned the U.S. gunship “maintained visible affirmation of the people from the time of the launch to the time of engagement.”
The U.S. performed additional “precision strikes” in opposition to two amenities in Iraq early Wednesday morning native time, CENTCOM mentioned in an announcement.
“The strikes have been in direct response to the assaults in opposition to U.S. and Coalition forces by Iran and Iran-backed teams,” together with the assault on Al-Asad Airbase, “which concerned use of close-range ballistic missiles,” the assertion learn.
The U.S. service members wounded within the assault are nonetheless being evaluated, a Pentagon official advised CBS Information, including that this was the 66th assault in opposition to American-affiliated navy bases in Iraq and Syria since Oct. 17.
Jonathan Ernst / AP
The uptick in assaults comes amid worldwide concern that the conflict between Israel and Hamas may broaden right into a wider battle engulfing the whole Center East.
Whereas Iranian-backed teams have focused U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria with a mixture of drones and rockets, this was the primary time a short-range missile was used to assault American troops since Oct. 17, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh mentioned at a information convention Tuesday afternoon.
Of the 66 assaults within the final month, 32 have been in Iraq and 34 in Syria, Singh mentioned. The assaults have resulted in roughly 62 U.S. personnel accidents, Singh added — they don’t embrace the accidents from Monday’s assault.
“These teams in Iraq and Syria, which might be attacking U.S. pursuits, have made their very own selections,” Iranian International Minister Amir-Abdollahian advised CBS Information final week when pushed on whether or not Iran backs militant teams within the Center East.
“Now we have not taken something off the desk or dominated something out,” Singh mentioned when requested if the U.S. will launch preemptive strikes to keep away from additional assaults. “We really feel that we’ve taken acceptable motion to decimate a few of their amenities and a few of their weapons, however once more, we at all times reserve the precise to reply on the time and place of our selecting.”
Final month, Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin mentioned that “the USA doesn’t search battle and has no intention nor need to interact in additional hostilities, however these Iranian-backed assaults in opposition to U.S. forces are unacceptable and should cease.”
— Eleanor Watson and Mary Walsh contributed reporting.
Correction: This story has been up to date to point the strike on Al-Asad Airbase occurred Monday night time.
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