One Dead in Rocket Attack on Iraq Base Hosting US Troops

US military vehicles at the Ain Al-Assad air base in the Anbar province, Iraq. (Reuters file photo)
US military vehicles at the Ain Al-Assad air base in the Anbar province, Iraq. (Reuters file photo)
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One Dead in Rocket Attack on Iraq Base Hosting US Troops

US military vehicles at the Ain Al-Assad air base in the Anbar province, Iraq. (Reuters file photo)
US military vehicles at the Ain Al-Assad air base in the Anbar province, Iraq. (Reuters file photo)

Ten rockets landed on Wednesday at Iraq’s Ain al-Assad air base, which hosts US, coalition and Iraqi forces, the Iraqi military said.

There were no reports of injuries among US service personnel but an American civilian contractor died after suffering a “cardiac episode” while sheltering from the rockets, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.

“We cannot attribute responsibility at this time, and we do not have a complete picture of the extent of the damage,” Kirby added. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

The United States is assessing the impact of the attack and whoever was responsible, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

“If we assess that further response is warranted, we will take action again in a manner and time of our choosing,” she told a news briefing. “What we won’t do is make a hasty or ill-informed decision that further escalates the decision or plays into the hands of our adversaries.”

Last Thursday, US forces carried out air strikes against facilities at a border control point in Syria used by Iranian-backed militias including Kataib Hezbollah and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada.

A Baghdad Operations Command official said Wednesday’s attack was launched from a location about eight km (five miles) from the base, which is in the westerly Anbar province.

Another Iraqi security source and a government official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the rockets had been launched from a point west of the nearby town of Baghdadi.

Despite a deterioration in security in some parts of the country, Pope Francis is due to begin a four-day visit to Iraq on Friday.

On Feb. 16, a rocket attack on US-led forces in northern Iraq killed a civilian contractor and injured a US service member.



International Reaction to Gaza Ceasefire Deal

 Palestinians react to news on a ceasefire deal with Israel, in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, January 15, 2025. (Reuters)
Palestinians react to news on a ceasefire deal with Israel, in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, January 15, 2025. (Reuters)
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International Reaction to Gaza Ceasefire Deal

 Palestinians react to news on a ceasefire deal with Israel, in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, January 15, 2025. (Reuters)
Palestinians react to news on a ceasefire deal with Israel, in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, January 15, 2025. (Reuters)

Negotiators reached a phased ceasefire deal on Wednesday in the war in Gaza between Israel and the Hamas group, an official briefed on the negotiations told Reuters. Here is some reaction to the deal, which has not yet been formally announced.

US PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP

"We have a deal for the hostages in the Middle East. They will be released shortly. Thank you!" he said in a post on his Truth Social platform.

"With this deal in place, my National Security team, through the efforts of Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven," Trump said in a second post.

TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER HAKAN FIDAN

He told reporters in Ankara the ceasefire deal was an important step for regional stability. Fidan also said Turkish efforts for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would continue.

ALEXANDER DE CROO, BELGIUM'S PRIME MINISTER

“After too many months of conflict, we feel tremendous relief for the hostages, for their families and for the people of Gaza.

Let’s hope this ceasefire will put an end to the fighting and mark the beginning of a sustained peace. Belgium stands ready to help.”