Satellite images depict the damage al-Asad airbase suffered after Iran launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles targeting two Iraqi bases where U.S. troops are housed on Tuesday.
Although no U.S. casualties have been reported following the strike, Planet Labs Inc. captured photos that indicate multiple structures on al-Asad were damaged as a result, per analysis conducted by the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.
According to a U.S. defense official, 10 missiles struck al-Asad airbase while another struck Erbil International Airport. Meanwhile, the other missiles that Iran launched failed in flight. Iraq was given a heads up that strikes targeting U.S. positions were imminent, according to Iraq Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi.
President Donald Trump tweeted last night following the attack that “all is well," and the Pentagon issued a statement that both installations “have been on high alert due to indications that the Iranian regime planned to attack our forces and interests in the region.” Approximately 5,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Iraq.
Take a look at the images depicting the damage below.
Aaron Mehta was deputy editor and senior Pentagon correspondent for Defense News, covering policy, strategy and acquisition at the highest levels of the Defense Department and its international partners.
