Iraq’s Ain Al-Asad Airbase Targeted By Rocket Attack

A barrage of rockets targeted Ain al-Asad military airbase, which hosts US and other international forces, in Iraq’s western province of Anbar. 

According to Iraqi media outlets on Sunday, the projectiles fell outside the base, without causing significant losses. 

“Three Grad missiles landed in the vicinity of Ain al-Assad military base in Anbar Governorate, western Iraq,” a security source in the Anbar Operations Command said.

But, Sabereen News, a Telegram news channel associated with Iran-backed Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units – also known by the Arabic word Hashd al-Sha’abi – reported that at least four BM-21 Grad rockets were launched at the base. 

No casualty has been reported following the attack and no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the base has been a frequent target of rocket attacks attributed to Iran-backed Shiite militias operating both in Iraq and Syria. (https://www.iranintl.com/en/202201050504)

Earlier in April, two combat drones hit targets inside the same Iraqi air base, again without any casualties. 

The base was also targeted by Iranian ballistic missiles in January 8 2020 in retaliation for the killing of the commander of Qods (Quds) force, a branch of the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC), Qasem Soleimani, who was killed by the US in Baghdad in a targeted drone attack on January 3, 2020.

The attacks came as nuclear talks in Vienna to revive the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers have paused, mainly over Iran’s demand to remove the IRGC from the US list of foreign terrorist organizations.