Iraqi security forces arrested five people Thursday allegedly connected to Monday’s missile attack on an air force base that hosted American troops, Reuters reported.
A defense official told the Daily Caller News Foundation (DCNF) that five American service members and two contractors were injured in the rocket attack. “All seven injured personnel are in stable condition,” the official added. (RELATED: Houthi Terrorists Say They Downed Expensive US Drone)
Live update: Iraqi forces arrest five people in connection to attack on US military base https://t.co/tfaiCuEIrB
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“After in-depth legal investigations and listening to witnesses’ statements … five of those involved in this illegal act were arrested,” Iraqi Security Media Cell, the governmental body responsible for public security notifications, said in a statement, Reuters reported. Iraqi forces called the attack “reckless” Tuesday and claimed to have seized a truck equipped with a rocket launcher, the outlet noted.
The U.S. reportedly attacked against targets in Iraq that authorities believed were planning a drone attack the week prior, Reuters previously reported. Iraq hosts both 2,500 American soldiers and Iranian-supported militias, Reuters reported. Iraq has reportedly demanded that America and its coalition forces withdraw from the country by September 2025. Iraqi sources told the outlet that it is likely that some American forces will remain in advisory positions.
Attacks against American forces in the Middle East have spiked since Oct. 7, the day Hamas invaded southern Israel and ignited the ongoing Hamas-Israel War. It is not clear if the attack on the airbase was related to Iran’s threats to retaliate after Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, was assassinated on Iranian soil, Reuters reported.
