NewsU.S. military base near Al-Omar oil field faces first retaliatory attack in over a month

U.S. military base near Al‑Omar oil field faces first retaliatory attack in over a month

DJIBOUTI, DJIBOUTI - JANUARY 21: US military aircraft as seen at US Military Base Camp Lemonnier on January 21, 2024 in Djibouti. Camp Lemonnier is the only permanent United States military base in Africa and hosts the Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) of the U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM). Djibouti sits opposite Yemen, across the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. (Photo by Getty Images)

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3:54 AM EST, February 14, 2024

The American contingent, stationed near the Al-Omar oil field in the eastern part of the country, became the target of a rocket attack on Tuesday evening. Middle Eastern media, citing Russian agencies, reported the event.

Reportedly, two rockets were launched against the U.S. base in less than an hour, followed shortly by three more. The American forces were unable to intercept these missiles. According to reports, they retaliated with fire, and their missiles landed in the desert near Al-Majadin city, located in the Dair az-Zor province. Information about any possible casualties remains uncertain.

"No group has taken responsibility for the attack so far. However, since the start of the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, the Iraqi Resistance Movement (IRI) has repeatedly targeted American military bases in Iraq and Syria," reports Kurdish news outlet "Shafaq News".

The agency estimates that since the commencement of the Israel-Palestine conflict, U.S. bases in the Middle East were struck 185 times, with Syria accounting for 116 of these attacks. Due to a drone assault on the American base, codenamed Tower 22 in Jordan, three American soldiers have lost their lives, and several dozens have been injured.

The Pentagon disclosed that since October 18 approximately 186 American citizens have died in Iraq, Syria, and Jordan. Sabrina Singh, Assistant Press Secretary of the U.S. Department of Defense, emphasized on Tuesday, "Since February 4, there have been no attacks on our soldiers. Our forces continue their mission." Singh also expressed her hope that this attack would mark the end of the shellings.

Source: "Shafaq News", Anadolu Agency