{"id":42243,"date":"2021-03-03T10:44:33","date_gmt":"2021-03-03T10:44:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/03\/03\/rockets-hit-airbase-in-iraq-hosting-us-troops-officials-say\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T07:30:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T07:30:20","slug":"rockets-hit-airbase-in-iraq-hosting-us-troops-officials-say","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/flashpoints\/2021\/03\/03\/rockets-hit-airbase-in-iraq-hosting-us-troops-officials-say\/","title":{"rendered":"White House warns of military response to rocket attack on Iraq base hosting US troops"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 The White House warned that the U.S. may consider a military response to the rocket attack that hit an air base in western Iraq where American and coalition troops are housed. A U.S. contractor died after at least 10 rockets slammed into the base early Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No one claimed responsibility for the attack, the first since the U.S. struck Iran-aligned militia targets<\/a> along the Iraq-Syria border last week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are following that through right now,\u201d President Joe Biden told reporters. \u201cThank God, no one was killed by the rocket, but one individual, a contractor, died of a heart attack. But we\u2019re identifying who\u2019s responsible and we\u2019ll make judgments\u201d about a response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

White House press secretary Jen Psaki suggested that the \u201ccalculated\u201d U.S. airstrikes last week could be a model for a military response. Those strikes were in response to an attack on American forces in northern Iraq earlier in February.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf we assess further response is warranted, we will take action again in a manner and time of our choosing,\u201d Psaki said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t