US soldiers injured in suspected rocket attack in Iraq Several United States personnel were injured in what is suspected to be a rocket attack at a military base in Iraq, US officials said.
Authorities are currently assessing the damage at the Al-Asad air base, the Department of Defense said in a statement. US Officials told Reuters that at least five personnel had been injured. While Iraqi security officials confirmed the attack, no group has claimed responsibility so far.
The attack comes amid rising tensions in the Middle East after the killings of a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon and Hamas’ top political leader in Iran. Iran, which backs both the militia groups, says it will “punish” Israel for the killings. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed on the attack.
A State Department spokesperson, on Monday, said that the US has been using diplomatic channels to urge other countries to tell Iran that escalation in the Middle East is not in their interest.
Haniyeh’s death won’t ‘torpedo’ Israel-Hamas negotiations, expert tells DW
Matthew Levitt, director of the counter-terrorism program at the Washington Institute for Near-East policy, told DW that the assassination of chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau Ismail Haniyeh would not “torpedo” negotiations between Hamas and Israel.
He said that the militant group has many reasons to want a cease-fire, adding that the killing of Haniyeh has not affected the role of Yahya Sinwar, who leads Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
“Sinwar has been and continues to be the only person whose opinion matters on things like a cease-fire and a release of hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners,” he said.
Levitt said that Haniyeh’s leadership was “more technical than reality,” adding that there were was “tension” between him and Sinwar. He stressed that if Israel managed to kill Sinwar, this would not necessarily mean an end to the war in Gaza.
“People who would succeed [Sinwar], in particular his brother, would still have to make the decision to release hostages and agree to a cease-fire or a pause,” he said.
