Washington DC, August 6:
According to a Pentagon spokeswoman, multiple US servicemen in Iraq were injured in what is believed to have been a rocket attack on Monday, as reported by the media. The person was quoted in the daily publication The Hill as saying that the attack hit Al-Asad Airbase in western Iraq.
According to the official, they are currently "conducting a postattack damage assessment" and will provide further details as soon as they are available.
The spokesperson reported that "initial indications are that several US personnel were injured," but added that the precise number of affected individuals and the full extent of their injuries are still unknown.
The assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh took place in Tehran on July 31, and Iran has claimed that Israel was responsible for the killing—a claim that Tel Aviv has refuted. Following the killings on Iranian soil, Iran has threatened reprisal. The murder of a senior leader of Hezbollah in Beirut on July 30 prompted the Lebanese group to threaten vengeance against Israel.
To "reiterate unwavering US commitment to Israel’s security in the face of threats from Iran, Lebanese Hezbollah, and other Iran-aligned militia groups," US Secretary of Defense Llyod Austin called with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant yesterday.
The attack on US soldiers stationed at Al-Asad Airbase in western Iraq by militias associated with Iran on August 5 was a hazardous escalation, and the attack proved Iran's disruptive influence in the area, according to a readout of the call from the Department of Defense. Austin and Gallant agreed on this.
During a press briefing, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh stated that the US Department of Defense and the need to de-escalate regional tensions were discussed. This included reiterating strong support for a hostage release deal and a Gaza ceasefire.
After speaking with Gallant on August 3, Austin announced that the United States was "taking additional measures to support the defence of Israel, to include multiple forthcoming force posture moves."
Austin also directed the transfer of additional military assets to the US European Command and US Central Command sectors in West Asia, including destroyers and cruisers with defense capabilities as well as a fighter squadron.
"We are taking steps to increase our [US] readiness to deploy additional land-based ballistic missile defense," the Pentagon added.
The USS Abraham Lincoln, a West Coast carrier, is preparing to relieve the USS Theodore Roosevelt, a Pacific carrier, and its strike group in the West Asian region.
"To maintain a carrier strike group presence in the Middle East, the Secretary has ordered the Lincoln Carrier Strike Group to replace the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group, currently on deployment in the Central Command area of responsibility," according to a Pentagon announcement. Sabrina Singh stated in a briefing on August 5 "..as we did say on Friday, we are positioning assets to move closer to Israel should we need to come to the defense of Israel, so you should, you know, assume that she'll be moving closer to that direction."
