A military base in western Iraq that hosts U.S. troops was the target of 10 rockets this week.
The rockets hit the Ain al-Asad air base, which was hosting coalition troops around 7:20 a.m. local time Wednesday morning, according to military spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve Col. Wayne Marotto. He also said Iraqi Special Forces are leading the investigation.
The Iraqi military released a statement explaining that the attack did not cause significant losses and that they had already found the launch pad used to conduct the attack, which no entity has claimed responsibility for, according to the Associated Press. One civilian contractor died of a heart attack during the rocket fire, according to CBS News.
PENTAGON DISMISSES NOTION OF DELAYED SYRIA STRIKE AND FINALLY BLAMES IRAN FOR ROCKET ATTACKS IN IRAQ
This was the first attack since U.S. forces struck Iranian-aligned military targets along the Iraq-Syria border last week. That attack killed one militiaman, and the fighting is raising fears about a possible retaliatory back-and-forth similar to the one that resulted in the drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
The U.S. response garnered criticism from members of Congress who faulted the Biden administration for conducting a military authorization on shaky legal ground.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki rebuffed the criticism, justifying the strike as a matter of self-defense.
“The president is sending an unambiguous message that he’s going to act to protect Americans, and when threats are posed, he has the right to take an action at the time and in the manner of his choosing,” she said. “He also is going to take those actions in a manner that’s deliberative and that has the objective of de-escalating activity in both Syria and Iraq.”
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Pentagon spokesman John Kirby also called the retaliatory strike “a very proportionate” response.
Pope Francis is scheduled to visit Iraq later this week.
