REVEALED: Eleven US service members are being treated for concussion symptoms after Iran’s missile attack on bases in Iraq
- Eleven U.S. troops were treated for concussion symptoms after the attack
- Eight were transported to hospitals in Germany, and three to Kuwait
- Officials say they initially displayed no symptoms but are being evaluated
- Military initially said that there were no deaths or injuries in the attack
Eleven U.S. troops were treated for concussion symptoms as a result of the January 8 Iranian missile attack on an Iraqi base where U.S. forces were stationed, the U.S. military said on Thursday, after initially saying no service members had been hurt.
‘While no U.S. service members were killed in the Jan. 8 Iranian attack on Al Asad Air base, several were treated for concussion symptoms from the blast and are still being assessed,’ Captain Bill Urban, spokesman for U.S. Central Command, said in a statement.
The troops were medically evacuated to U.S. military hospitals in Kuwait and Germany for treatment and further evaluation, according to Defense One.
A view of the damage at Ain al-Asad military airbase housing US and other foreign troops in the western Iraqi province of Anbar after Iran’s missile attack
‘Out of an abundance of caution, some service members were transported from Al Asad Air Base, Iraq to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, others were sent to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, for follow-on screening,’ said Col. Myles Caggins, spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve.
‘When deemed fit for duty, the service members are expected to return to Iraq following screening. The health and welfare of our personnel is a top priority and we will not discuss any individual’s medical status,’ Caggins said.
Eight troops were reportedly transported to Germany, and three to Kuwait.
A senior official told Defense One that the service members only began experiencing symptoms a week after the attack, and that the potential injuries had initially been unknown to leaders.
Debris and rubble are seen at the site where an Iranian missile hit at Ain al-Asad air base in Anbar province, Iraq
The Trump administration and military officials had initially denied there were any U.S. or Iraqi casualties in the missile attack.
Base officials had warning of the attack hours beforehand, and nearly all troops were moved into heavily fortified bunkers before the missiles fell.
Iran launched the strike in revenge for the U.S. drone strike that killed its top general, Qassem Soleimani, on January 3 at the Baghdad airport.