US Threatens Possible Military Action Over Iraq Rocket Attack

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki suggested last week's Syria airstrikes could be a 'model' for a response

The US is considering military action over a rocket attack on the Al Asad US military base in western Iraq on Wednesday. A US contractor died of a heart attack after 10 rockets hit the base.

“Thank God, no one was killed by the rocket, but one individual, a contractor, died of a heart attack,” President Biden said of the incident. “But we’re identifying who’s responsible and we’ll make judgments.”

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki suggested that last week’s Syria airstrikes could be a “model” for a possible response. “If we assess that further response is warranted, we will take action, again, in a manner and time of our choosing.  And we reserve that option,” she said.

President Biden ordered the bombing in eastern Syria last Thursday over other rocket attacks on US facilities in Iraq that took place in February. The Syria strike targeted Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a group of Shia state-sponsored militias that was formed in 2014 to fight ISIS.

The US specifically targeted Kataib Hezbollah and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, two Shia militias under the PMF banner. The Biden administration never presented evidence to show that either group was responsible for the attacks on US bases, and Kataib Hezbollah denied any role.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.