Rocket Attack Injures US Personnel in Iraq Amid Rising Tensions with Iran and Hezbollah
A suspected rocket attack on Monday injured several US personnel at Al-Asad Airbase in western Iraq, according to a Pentagon spokesperson. The full extent of the injuries is still unclear.
This attack follows the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31, which Iran attributes to Israel. Iran has vowed retaliation, and Hezbollah in Lebanon has also promised to retaliate against Israel after the assassination of one of its top commanders in Beirut on July 30.
US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin spoke with Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant to reaffirm the US commitment to Israel’s security. They agreed that the August 5 attack by Iran-aligned militia on US forces marked a dangerous escalation. The Pentagon is taking steps to support Israel, including deploying additional military assets to the region.
The USS Abraham Lincoln is being sent to the West Asian region to replace the USS Theodore Roosevelt, ensuring a continuous carrier strike group presence in the Middle East.
Doubts Revealed
Rocket Attack -: A rocket attack is when rockets, which are like big fireworks but much more dangerous, are launched to hit a target and cause damage.
US Personnel -: US personnel refers to people who work for the United States government, like soldiers or other officials.
Iraq -: Iraq is a country in the Middle East, which is a region far away from India.
Tensions -: Tensions mean that there are problems or conflicts between groups or countries, making them upset or angry with each other.
Iran -: Iran is another country in the Middle East, close to Iraq.
Hezbollah -: Hezbollah is a group in Lebanon, another Middle Eastern country, that has its own army and is involved in politics and conflicts.
Al-Asad Airbase -: Al-Asad Airbase is a place in Iraq where military planes and soldiers are stationed.
Hamas -: Hamas is a group that controls the Gaza Strip, a small area in the Middle East, and often has conflicts with Israel.
Ismail Haniyeh -: Ismail Haniyeh is a leader of Hamas.
Tehran -: Tehran is the capital city of Iran.
Hezbollah commander -: A Hezbollah commander is a leader in the Hezbollah group.
Beirut -: Beirut is the capital city of Lebanon.
Retaliation -: Retaliation means to fight back or take revenge after being attacked.
US Secretary of Defence -: The US Secretary of Defence is the person in charge of the military in the United States.
Lloyd Austin -: Lloyd Austin is the current US Secretary of Defence.
Israeli Defence Minister -: The Israeli Defence Minister is the person in charge of the military in Israel.
Yoav Gallant -: Yoav Gallant is the current Israeli Defence Minister.
Pentagon -: The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defence, where military decisions are made.
Military assets -: Military assets are things like soldiers, tanks, planes, and other equipment used by the military.