On Sunday, from the Iraqi town of Zummar, at least five rockets were launched targeting a U.S. military base located in northeastern Syria. This marks the first attack against U.S. forces since a pause in hostilities initiated by Iranian-backed groups in Iraq back in early February. The attack follows closely after Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s visit to the United States, where he met with President Joe Biden.
Details provided to Reuters by two Iraqi security sources and a senior army officer indicate that the rockets were launched from a small truck equipped with a fixed rocket launcher, which was positioned in Zummar, a border town adjacent to Syria. Subsequent to the launch, the truck involved was reported to have caught fire due to an explosion from unfired rockets. The cause of the truck’s explosion remains under investigation, with initial unconfirmed reports suggesting it might have been targeted by U.S. warplanes. However, this has not been confirmed, and officials have stated that further investigation is necessary to understand the full circumstances of the incident.
📹At least five rockets were launched from the Iraqi town of #Zummar towards a #US military base in northeastern #Syria, two Iraqi security sources told #Reuters.#Iraq #Syria #Breaking
The attack against US forces is the first since early February when Islamic resistance in… pic.twitter.com/5OKCAv0BUb— ⚡️🌎 World News 🌐⚡️ (@ferozwala) April 21, 2024
The rocket attack is also linked temporally to another significant incident—a large explosion at a military base in Iraq, which occurred the previous day, resulting in the death of a member of an Iraqi security force that includes Iran-backed groups. The cause of this explosion is also under investigation, with conflicting reports about whether it was an attack or an accident.
Expanded Coverage:
