Rockets injured US personnel in Iraq, killed contractor: Will Biden act?

Author: Published: February 16, 2021

Rockets injur

Two days after Nawres Hamid, the 33-year old American citizen had been killed. He had emigrated from Iraq to Sacramento with his family.

By SETH J. FRANTZMAN

FEBRUARY 16, 2021 00:28
A supporter of Hashid Shaabi holds a picture of late Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis during a protest in Baghdad, Iraq, October 17, 2020 (photo credit: REUTERS/THAIER AL-SUDANI)
A supporter of Hashid Shaabi holds a picture of late Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis during a protest in Baghdad, Iraq, October 17, 2020
(photo credit: REUTERS/THAIER AL-SUDANI)
The US-led Coalition said on Monday night that rocket fire landed on Coalition forces who are based near the city. They were likely killed and wounded at the Coalition facilities at Erbil International Airport. The Coalition spokesperson Col. Wayne Marotto wrote that one civilian contractor was killed, five injured and one US service member was injured.
The statement was crafted in such a way as to give the US a lot of outs should it choose not to respond. That is because there is a new US administration and while the Coalition wanted to put a statement out, it didn’t want to paint US Central Command or the White House into a corner. Over years covering the US-led Coalition and the former spokesperson Col. Myles Caggins III, the weight and responsibility on a spokesperson’s shoulders the night of an attack like this immense. It is almost five in the afternoon in Washington. It’s past might in Iraq. That is the time of the statement.
Now, the injuring of a US service member is important. When a US contractor was killed at K-1 base near Kirkuk in December 2019 it began a crisis and cycle that led to the US using a drone to killed IRGC head Qasem Soleimani. The US had warned Iran back then to stop rocket attacks on US bases. Iran’s militias in Iraq, directed by Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and his Kataib Hezbollah, didn’t listen. They upped their attacks on US forces using 107mm Katyusha rockets.
After they killed a US contractor the US responded with airstrikes on December 29. That was. Two days after Nawres Hamid, the 33-year old American citizen had been killed. He had emigrated from Iraq to Sacramento with his family.

The US retaliated for his death. In response Badr Organizations Hadi al-Amiri, leader of the Fatah Alliance party in Iraq, as well as Muhandis, Asaib Ahl Al-Haq leader Qais Khazali and Falih al-Fayyadh let protesters to attack the US embassy on January 1. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo singled out those responsible. Two days later Soleimani arrived in Baghdad to meet Muhandis to plan more attacks on the US. Before he could do it missiles fired by a US drone killed the two men.

What will the new Biden administration do now in response to the killing of a contractor and wounding of Americans. This is a serious attack. The US in March 2020 moved air defense systems to Iraq, including Patriots to Ayn al-Assad and C-RAM to Baghdad’s embassy compound. It’s not clear what else the US has to protect forces.

The US has consolidated its forces in Erbil and Assad and Baghdad, withdrawing from a dozen other facilities. The US has warned Iran in the past, in 2018, against attack on US facilities. But pro-Iran groups continue the attacks. They want the US to leave. They have been very successful so far. The US has wrapped most of its work up in Iraq.

ed US personnel in Iraq, contractor: Will Biden act?

Syria claims Israel attacked near Damascus

Author: Published: February 15, 2021

Syrian media reports the country’s air defense system intercepted “Israeli aggression” over

Elad Benari , Feb 15 , 2021 1:52 AM

 

Missile seen over Damascus

Syrian air defense intercepted “Israeli aggression” over Damascus on Sunday night, Syrian state television reported.

So far, no additional details are available.

Earlier this month, the Syrian news agency SANA reported that Israel attacked targets in southern Syria.

According to the report, Syria’s air defenses responded to “an Israeli aggression” over the region.

An official military source in Syria said that the Syrian army’s air defense systems were activated against the Israeli missiles and shot down most of them. He added that there were no injuries and that only damage to property was caused.

The alleged Israeli attack came hours after an anti-aircraft missile was fired at an Israel Air Force unmanned aerial vehicle.

In late January, Syria reported that its air defense systems responded to an Israeli air strike in the Hama area.

A Syrian military source said the attack originated from the direction of the Lebanese city of Tripoli. He added that the Syrian air defense systems intercepted the missiles and downed most of them.

Two weeks earlier, Syrian TV reported that the country’s air defense systems responded to an Israeli air strike over southern Damascus.

A week before that, Syrian media reported that the country’s air defense systems were activated in the Damascus area and thwarted an Israeli air strike.

 

Report: Iran concealing weapons stockpiles in UN containers at Damascus airport

Author: Published: February 14, 2021

Revolutionary Guards establish dummy container terminal adjacent to Damascus International Airport to store missiles, missile parts prior to their distribution to pro-Iranian militias across Syria, news site aligned with rebel fighters reports.

By  Netta Bar
 Published on  02-14-2021 09:02

Last modified: 02-14-2021 09:02

Report: Iran concealing weapons stockpiles in UN containers at Damascus airport

A view of Damascus International Airport | Photo: Tim Brakemeier

Tehran is using UN containers to conceal weapons stockpiles at the Damascus International Airport, according to a report in the Voice of Damascus, a news site aligned with Syrian rebel fighters.

According to a source employed at private company, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have set up a dummy container terminal adjacent to the airport. Containers at the site bear the names of the UN and international shipping company DHL.

The Iranians are using the new terminal as a temporary distribution center for storing weapons, in particular missiles and missile parts, prior to their distribution throughout Syria. According to the source, the terminal is situated just 200 meters (yards) from the airport, which was targeted by Israel in the past for its use by the Revolutionary Guards to arm Hezbollah and other pro-Iranian militias and Hezbollah.

The facility is guarded by members of the Revolutionary Guards, according to the report, and airport workers are prevented from getting near the site. The terminal holds over 25 containers formerly used by the UN.

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