US Military: Patriot Missiles Shifting Into Iraq Following Recent Rocket Attacks

Missiles deployed at Ayn al-Assad, Irbil recently

Recent US fighting with Iraqi militias has seen bases in the country hosting US troops coming under rocket fire, and this has led to the US trying to get more Patriot missiles into Iraq to intercept such rockets. The first missile systems are now set up, at Ayn al-Assad base, and in Irbil.

Reports on these first deployments came earlier in the week, but the Pentagon only commented on them on Thursday. The US has been seeking the missile deployments since January, and had been trying to get Iraq’s approval.

It has never been confirmed that Iraq signed off on such deployment. Since the deployment is roughly intended to thwart attacks by Iraqi paramilitaries who are essentially part of Iraq’s security forces, this is potentially problematic for Iraq.

The US has blamed the rocket attacks on Iraqi militias, which they claim are attacking on behalf of Iran. The militias, notably Kataib Hezbollah, are part of Iraq’s security apparatus, despite the US maintaining they are Iran’s proxies.


Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.