By Shelby Talcott | Contributor
The Iraqi and United States Armed Forces’ Al-Asad air base in Iraq is under missile attack from Iran, according to multiple reports.
Jennifer Griffin, the national security correspondent for Fox News, tweeted Tuesday that a “senior US military source in Iraq” confirmed the attack. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said they fired the missiles in retaliation for America killing Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the Wall Street Journal reported.
“Under missile attack from Iran,” the source said according to Griffin’s tweet. “These are either cruise missiles or short range ballistic missiles. All over the country.”
From senior US military source in Iraq:
“Under missile attack from Iran. These are either cruise missiles or short range ballistic missiles. All over the country.”— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) January 7, 2020
This attack is just the latest in a series of rocket attacks against U.S.-Iraqi bases in Iraq, according to past reports. An American contractor was killed during a rocket attack at an Iraqi base in December and another attack on a base with U.S. troops left no deaths in November.
Other past attacks occurred in November, May and June, according to past news reports.
White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said that they are “aware of reports of attacks” on the facility, Associated Press reporter Jonathan Lemire tweeted. (RELATED: ‘Pardon The Skepticism’: Tucker Carlson Wonders Why Everyone Is Suddenly Trusting The Deep State On Iran)
“We are aware of the reports of attacks on US facilities in Iraq,” Grisham said. “The President [Donald Trump] has been briefed and is monitoring the situation closely and consulting with his national security team.”
The Pentagon also confirmed the attack in a statement from the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Jonathan Hoffman.
“At approximately 5:30 p.m. (EST) on January 7, Iran launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles against U.S. military and coalition forces in Iraq,” according to the statement. “It is clear that these missiles were launched from Iran and targeted at least two Iraqi military bases hosting U.S. military and coalition personnel at Al-Assad and Irbil.”
“We are working on initial battle damage assessments.”
It is still unclear if there are any injuries or deaths.
The attack comes after President Donald Trump approved airstrikes near Baghdad, Iraq Jan. 2 that killed Soleimani, who led Iran’s elite Quds Force. Soleimani’s death increased tensions in the region.
This post is breaking and will be updated.
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Amazing how Iran can pinpoint Saudi refineries but miss the bases in Iraq.