After soldiers injured in Iraq, Austin says US will not tolerate attacks on troops

The United States will not tolerate attacks on American troops in the Middle East, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says, after rocket fire in Iraq wounded seven US personnel.

The Monday attack was the third in just over three weeks on Ain al-Assad base in western Iraq, which hosts American troops as well as other personnel from the US-led coalition against the Islamic State jihadist group.

“Make no mistake, the United States will not tolerate attacks on our personnel in the region,” Austin tells a news conference in Annapolis.

A US defense official said earlier in the day that the attack wounded five American military personnel and two contractors, all of whom are in stable condition.

An earlier Pentagon statement on a call between Austin and Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant described the rocket fire as an “Iran-aligned militia attack on US forces” and said the two agreed that it “marked a dangerous escalation.”

Austin says the Pentagon is sure the attack was directed by Iran-backed militias.