Missile hits al-Taji military Camp, hosting American soldiers: Iraq media reports

Tensions between Iran and the US continue to escalate as Iraqi local media apprised about a missile attack that has targetted the al-Taji military camp north of Baghdad, that hosts American soldiers. The Taji camp was targeted by airstrikes against Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Unit (PMU) militias earlier this month.

This attack also comes at the backdrop of Iran's missile attack on US base in Iraq in retaliation for the killing of General Qassem Soleimani.

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Tensions between Iran & US 

The longstanding tension between Iran and the US surfaced again as Iranian General Qassem Soleimani was slain by the US in an airstrike near Iraq's Baghdad International Airport, ordered by US President Donald Trump on Friday.  

Post this, Iran had threatened "harsh retaliation" and subsequently, two airstrikes were reported near US Embassy in Baghdad’s Green Zone on Saturday and Sunday. As per recent reports, a third attack was launched on Thursday as three Katyusha rockets hit the Baghdad’s Green Zone.   

Following the developments, Trump said that the US would strike 52 sites in the Islamic Republic if any Americans were harmed. After this, there has been a continuous war of words between the officials of the two countries.  

In no time, the Al-Assad and Ebril airbases in Iraq that house the US and coalition forces were hit by multiple rockets. This incident was first reported by Iranian state TV, who described it as Tehran’s revenge operation over the killing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Gen. Qassem Soleimani.  

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(Image credits: AP)