Pentagon contractor is killed and several US troops are injured in rocket attack

Civilian contractor is killed and several troops are injured when ’14 rockets’ are fired on a military base in Iraq – an attack officials suspect was ordered by Iran that comes weeks after Pompeo warned of ‘decisive’ action if Tehran harmed Americans

• One Pentagon contractor was killed and several US troops were injured in a rocket attack on K1 military base in northern Iraq on Friday
• It is the eleventh rocket attack targeting American forces in the Middle East within the past two months
• While no one has claimed responsibility for Friday’s incident, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has blamed Iranian-backed groups for previous attacks
• Both Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper have warned Iran that they will respond ‘with decisive military force’ to any further attacks
• Tensions between Tehran and Washington have been building since President Trump pulled out of a nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions on the country 

By Andrew Court For Dailymail.com and Reuters

Published: 19:20 GMT, 27 December 2019 | Updated: 07:34 GMT, 28 December 2019

A Pentagon contractor has been killed and several US service members have been injured following a rocket attack on a coalition military base in Iraq. 

Intelligence officials say 11 to 14 rockets were launched on the K1 military base, located near the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, on Friday afternoon.  

The United States is now looking into whether an Iranian-backed Shi’ite Muslim militia group by the name of Kataib Hezbollah is responsible for the attack. 

Friday’s fatal incident is ‘the eleventh rocket attack targeting an outpost housing American forces in the last two months,’ according to Military Times. 

While no group has yet claimed responsibility for the latest attack, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has blamed Iranian-backed forces for previous rocket launches on bases in Iraq. 

In a statement following a separate incident earlier this month, Pompeo warned Iran that any attacks by Tehran or their proxies that harmed Americans or their allies would be ‘answered with a decisive US response.’  

‘We must also use this opportunity to remind Iran’s leaders that any attacks by them, or their proxies of any identity, that harm Americans, our allies, or our interests will be answered with a decisive U.S. response,’ the statement read. ‘Iran must respect the sovereignty of its neighbors and immediately cease its provision of lethal aid and support to third parties in Iraq and throughout the region.’

Last month, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper similarly told fellow lawmakers in Washington that ‘Iran should not mistake the United States’ restraint for an unwillingness to respond with decisive military force should our forces or interests be attacked’. 

Tensions between the US and Iran have been building since President Trump pulled his country out of Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions that have crippled Iran’s economy. Iran has now restarted its nuclear program. 

A Pentagon contractor has been killed and several US service members have been injured following a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base. A stock photo of a rocket launch in Iraq is pictured 

The incident occurred the K1 military base, located near the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, on Friday afternoon. Kirkuk is around 500 mile northwest of Iran’s capital city, Tehran 

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (left) has blamed Iranian-backed forces for previous attacks on bases in Iraq. Iranian president Hassan Rouhani has hit out at the US for imposing strict sanctions on the country that is damaging their economy

This past summer, Washington blamed Iran for attacks on oil tankers and a major strike on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia.  However, Iran has denied being behind such incidents. 

On Friday, one US official told CNN that they see similarities between Friday’s rocket attack and previous rocket attacks which have been linked to Kataib Hezbollah. 

Following a separate rocket attack on December 11, Pompeo stated: ‘Iran must respect the sovereignty of its neighbors and immediately cease its provision of lethal aid and support to third parties in Iraq and throughout the region.’ 

ESCALATING TENSIONS BETWEEN THE US AND IRAN  

May 2018: Trump withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal which was drawn up in 2015 under President Obama. 

August 2018: The Trump Administration imposes first round of  sanctions, prohibit trade with a number of business sectors

November 2018: The Trump Administrations imposes a second round of sanctions which target oil and banking industries. The sanctions have a crippling effect on the Iranian economy

April 2019: Trump designates one arm of the Iranian military as a ‘terrorist group’ – an inflammatory move that prompts the Iran to hit back and call the US a ‘state sponsor of terrorism’

May 2019: Four tankers – including two belonging to US ally Saudi Arabia – are struck and damaged in the Gulf of Oman. The US blames Iran for the attack

May 2019: A rocket lands near the US embassy in Baghdad, prompting Trump to tweet ‘If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!” 

June 2019: Iran shoots down a US surveillance drone over the Strait of Hormuz. An enraged Trump who considers launching airstrikes in retaliation

July 2019: Iranian president  Hassan Rouhani said that if any more American drones violated Iranian airspace ‘then they will receive the same response’ as the one that was blasted out of the sky the previous month

July 2019: Additional troops and fighter jets are put in place in the Middle East ‘to defend American forces and interests’ amid escalating tension

September 2019: Iran is blamed for an attack on two  Saudi oil fields responsible for five percent of the global oil supply – or about 5.7 million barrels per day. Secretary of State Pompeo described the attack as ‘an act of war’

September 2019: US national security officials reportedly presented President Trump with a ‘menu’ of options that include military strikes and cyber attacks  

November 2019: Rocket attacks increase on Iraqi military bases which are  hosting American service personnel. Intelligence officials believe Hezbollah is behind the attacks   

Earlier this month, a senior US  military official revealed that attacks by Iranian-backed groups on bases hosting US  forces in Iraq were gathering pace and becoming more sophisticated. 

The US has sent nearly 14,000 additional troops to the Middle East within the past six months in response to escalating tensions with Iran.  

President Trump has not yet responded to Friday’s attack, and Iraqi Security Forces are leading the response and investigation. 

The Pentagon contractor who was killed has not yet been publicly named. All injured US troops are expected to make a full recovery.  

Intelligence officials at the Pentagon (pictured) are looking at whether an Iranian-backed Shi’ite Muslim militia group by the name of Kataib Hezbollah is responsible for the attack

The rocket attack occurred at the K1 military base near the oil-rich city of  Kirkuk on Friday. 

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