A drone is launched throughout a large-scale drone fight train of Military of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in Semnan, Iran January 6, 2021. Representational Picture/Iranian Military/Wana/REUTERS
The US navy thwarted an assault focusing on its forces in Iraq early on Wednesday, intercepting two drones earlier than they might strike, two US officers advised Reuters.
The officers, who spoke on situation of anonymity, declined to say who was suspected of the assault however it got here as Washington is on heightened alert for exercise by Iran-backed teams amid hovering stress within the area over the Israel-Hamas struggle.
The one-way assault drones have been intercepted as they tried to strike Iraq’s al-Asad air base, which hosts American troops, the officers stated.
The incident got here hours after a strike on a Gaza hospital killed tons of of Palestinians, elevating the stakes for US President Joe Biden as he flies to Israel on Wednesday to sign assist for its struggle towards Hamas.
Israel blamed the blast at Al-Ahli al-Arabi hospital on a failed rocket launch by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, which denied duty.
Palestinian officers stated an Israeli air strike hit the hospital, with the Palestinian Authority’s well being minister accusing Israel of inflicting a “massacre”.
In Iraq, stress over the struggle in Gaza had already been excessive. Its high Shi’ite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, final week condemned Israel and known as on the world to face as much as the “terrible brutality” in Gaza.