U.S. Central Command confirmed a counterstrike was carried out against terrorists as they launched a missile attack on American troops in Iraq on Tuesday, the latest in a series of U.S. strikes carried out amid more than five dozen attacks targeting American service members in Iraq and Syria since Iran-backed Hamas terrorists launched their October 7 massacre attack against Israel.
According to CENTCOM, the strike was launched by an AC-130 gunship which observed the terrorists launching the missiles aimed at Al Assad Airbase in western Iraq and responded with an engagement that "resulted in several enemy casualties."
On 21 Nov. an AC-130 gunship engaged individuals responsible for launching a missile attack on U.S. and Coalition personnel at Al Assad Airbase, Iraq. The gunship maintained visual confirmation of the individuals from the time of the launch to the time of engagement. This strike… pic.twitter.com/KGSeAGi3fk
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) November 21, 2023
According to reporting on the latest strike on U.S. troops in the region, the missile attack preceding the AC-130 response "caused minor injuries and damage to infrastructure" at the airbase.
More from Voice of America:
Earlier on Tuesday, social media accounts linked to Iran-aligned Iraqi militias published a statement in the name of the "Islamic Resistance in Iraq," mourning a member who they said had been killed "in battle" against U.S. forces.
His killing is the first reported casualty in Iraq linked to the Israel-Gaza war, which has drawn in other factions in Iran's network of regional proxies, known as the Axis of Resistance, such as Lebanon's Hezbollah.
U.S. and international forces that make up the global coalition to fight the remnants of Islamic State have been targeted more than 60 times in Iraq and Syria since October 17, U.S. officials say.
Dozens of U.S. servicemen suffered minor injuries in the attacks but have all returned to duty, U.S. officials say.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
