In a concerning escalation, at least five rockets were launched from the town of Zummar in Iraq towards a US military base located in northeastern Syria, according to two Iraqi security sources cited by Reuters. This marked the first hostile action against US forces since early February, following a period of relative calm in attacks by Iranian-backed militia groups in Iraq.

The incident unfolded just one day after Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani concluded a visit to the United States, where he met with President Joe Biden at the White House. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that a rocket launcher mounted on the back of a small truck was stationed in the border town of Zummar near Syria.

An explosion, possibly triggered by unfired rockets, engulfed the truck in flames simultaneously with the presence of warplanes in the vicinity, according to a military official. The identity of the assailants remains unclear, prompting Iraqi security forces to launch a comprehensive search operation to apprehend the perpetrators who reportedly fled the scene in another vehicle.

In response to the attack, the Iraqi Security Media Cell announced that Iraqi forces had initiated an extensive operation to locate and bring to justice those responsible near the Syrian border. Preliminary investigations suggest that the truck was destroyed by an airstrike, leading authorities to coordinate with coalition forces in Iraq to exchange information regarding the attack, as stated by an army officer.

These developments come on the heels of a separate incident on Saturday, where a significant explosion rocked a military base in Iraq, resulting in the death of a member of an Iraqi security force comprising Iran-backed factions. While force commanders attributed the incident to an attack, the army is currently conducting an investigation, despite denying the presence of warplanes in the area at the time.