U.S. says several troops hurt in Iraq attack

Several U.S. service members were injured Monday in a suspected rocket attack at an Iraqi air base, defense officials said.

It was not immediately clear how many personnel were hurt or the extent of their injuries.

The incident occurred at Al Asad air base, an installation in western Iraq, officials said in a statement. Personnel there “are conducting a post-attack damage assessment,” it says.

The attack comes at a fraught time in the region, as U.S. and Israeli officials brace for Iran’s promised response to the killing last week of a senior Hamas leader in Tehran and a top Hezbollah commander outside Beirut. The Pentagon is scrambling to reposition assets and move additional forces into the Middle East and Europe to defend against an anticipated attack on Israel.

Al Asad has been a frequent target for Iran-backed militants in Iraq dating to October, when Israel launched its operation in Gaza against Hamas. Militants fired two rockets at the base last week, along with another attack in Syria, officials said, resulting in no injuries or damage.

The attack on Al Asad was first reported by Reuters.