In response to a recent ballistic missile attack on a base hosting American troops in Iraq, the United States initiated retaliatory strikes on Tuesday targeting Iranian-backed militias. The attack left four American service members wounded, prompting the U.S. to take action against assets associated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a key player in Iran’s foreign policy and known for supporting militant groups in the Middle East.
The airstrikes, deemed significant by an anonymous U.S. official, focused on three facilities utilized by the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia group and other Iran-affiliated entities in Iraq. The targeted locations included headquarters, storage facilities, and training sites for rocket, missile, and one-way attack drones, according to a statement from U.S. Central Command.
This recent incident marks the second time, since November, that powerful ballistic missiles were employed by Iran-backed militias to target a base hosting U.S. troops. The Al-Asad base in western Iraq was struck on January 20, resulting in the injury of four American service members. Notably, this attack and the subsequent U.S. response occurred against a backdrop of heightened tensions, with U.S. and coalition forces facing repeated assaults from Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October.
The broader context includes more than 140 attacks on bases with U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria since November, with wounded U.S. troops, including those from the recent attack, reportedly returning to duty. Despite the ongoing threats, U.S. forces, operating in Iraq and neighboring Syria as part of a coalition to combat the Islamic State group, continue their mission with approximately 2,500 troops advising Iraqi forces.
The situation also extends to the wider region, as Iran-backed groups, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houthi rebels in Yemen, pose challenges to U.S. and coalition forces. These groups have sought to disrupt Red Sea shipping, prompting joint U.S.-U.K. attacks on Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen on January 22.
This episode brings to light the complex dynamics in the region, with the U.S. and Iran having teetered on the brink of war in January 2020 during the Trump administration. The killing of Qassem Soleimani, Iran’s most powerful general, in a U.S. drone strike led to an Iranian ballistic missile attack on the Al-Assad base in Iraq, resulting in injuries to over 100 U.S. troops.
As tensions persist, the recent airstrikes underscore the ongoing challenges faced by the U.S. and its allies in the region, balancing efforts to combat terrorism with the need to navigate complex geopolitical dynamics.