Rockets fired at Victory military base near Baghdad International Airport

BAGHDAD — Rockets were launched at the Victory military base near Baghdad International Airport early Tuesday, with two missiles striking inside the airport complex, according to security sources. The attack originated from the Amiriya district, located close to the airport.

A security official confirmed to state-owned Al-Iraqiya that the rockets, identified as Katyusha missiles, hit two separate locations. “The first missile hit the parking lot of the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service’s second regiment, while the second landed in an abandoned area inside Baghdad International Airport,” the official said. No casualties were reported.

Security forces responded swiftly, locating the rocket launch platform in the Amiriya area within an hour of the attack. “The platform was found inside a Kia truck in the village of Al-Asriyah, containing several missiles that had not been launched, while others had exploded nearby,” the source added. Disposal teams dismantled the remaining unexploded rockets.

Despite the attack, the Iraqi Ministry of Transportation denied any disruption to airport operations. “Reports circulating in the media about a halt in air traffic at Baghdad International Airport are completely false,” the ministry said in a statement. “Air traffic is proceeding normally.”

The Victory military base, located at Baghdad International Airport, was formerly the U.S. forces’ headquarters in Iraq from 2003 until 2011 when it was handed over to the Iraqi government. It continues to host U.S. and Iraqi forces.

This is the second attack on the Victory base in two months and the third targeting locations where U.S. forces are stationed. No group has claimed responsibility, though Iran-backed Shia militias are often suspected in such incidents.

On September 11, 2024, an explosion was reported at a U.S.-led coalition base near Baghdad International Airport, one day before Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s visit to Iraq. In an earlier incident, on August 6, two rockets struck Al Asad Airbase, injuring seven U.S. personnel.

Though Shia militias have been linked to similar attacks, they did not claim responsibility for these recent incidents. Following the September 11 attack, Kataib Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia, condemned the actions, with spokesperson Jaafar Al-Husseini urging Iraqi security services to identify the perpetrators.

The U.S. currently has around 2,500 troops stationed in Iraq and approximately 900 in Syria as part of the international coalition established in 2014 to combat the Islamic State group. The U.S. recently announced that the coalition, which includes forces from Britain, France, and other countries, would end its military mission in Iraq will conclude within the next year, though the number of U.S. troops remaining after the mission ends has not been specified.