Second drone attack on US forces foiled in Iraq

A second attempted drone attack on U.S. forces in Iraq was foiled on Tuesday after Iraq’s air defenses shot down armed drones that were headed toward a U.S. air base west of Baghdad.

An official with the U.S.-led international military coalition confirmed the attempted attack on the Ain al-Asad air base, according to Reuters.

On Monday, a similar attack was attempted, but the drones were shot down. 

U.S. and Iraqi security officials said at the time that the drones had targeted a military base housing U.S. troops at the time.

“This was a dangerous attack on a civilian airport,” an official said.

The attempted attacks coincide with the second anniversary of the assassination of Qassem Soleimani, a top Iranian general, on Monday.

Soleimani was killed in 2020 following a drone strike that was ordered by former President Trump.

On Monday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said that Tehran would take revenge for the killing if Trump did not face trial.

–Updated on Jan. 5 at 7:31 a.m.