US troops at base knew Iranian attack was imminent, giving them time to shelter

American troops at Al Asad air base in Iraq knew that an Iranian attack was coming two-and-a-half hours before missiles struck the base.

Forces at the base were either flown out of Al Asad or were sheltering in bunkers by 11 p.m. before the attack came, according to CNN. The first round of missiles targeting the base began Wednesday at about 1:30 a.m. Though they knew an attack was coming, the troops at the base didn’t know how the attack would be carried out.