American personnel were injured in the attack on the Al Asad air base in Iraq

A number of US personnel were injured after a suspected rocket attack on a US military base in Iraq, US officials said.

The attack comes as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Middle East is at a critical juncture following the killing of top Hamas and Hezbollah leaders.

Officials told the BBC’s CBS News that the Al Asad airbase in western Iraq had been hit and they were still assessing the damage.

They have not yet said who carried out the attack.

Security sources told CBS that two Katyusha rockets were fired at the base, one of which landed inside the base.

“We can confirm that there was a suspected rocket attack today against US and Coalition forces at Al Asad Airbase, Iraq,” a Defense Department spokesman said.

“Initial indications are that many American workers have been injured. Base personnel are conducting a damage assessment after the attack,” the spokesperson added.

It is not clear how many US personnel were injured, or the extent of their injuries.

President Joe Biden has been briefed on the alleged attack, a White House official said.

The attack comes after the United States carried out a strike in Iraq last week that was described as a defensive move against terrorists who officials said were preparing to launch drones against US and coalition forces in the region.

Tensions are high following the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in Tehran last Wednesday in an explosion at his guest house.

Iran’s revolutionary guard (IRGC) accused Israel of killing Haniyeh and said it was supported by the US. Israel has not commented on Haniyeh’s death.

Last week, Israel said it had killed a top Hezbollah commander in an airstrike south of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon.

Both Iran and Hezbollah have threatened to retaliate against Israel for the killings.

The Al Asad base was attacked in January this year by pro-Iranian forces, who fired several missiles and rockets that were intercepted, US Central Command said at the time.

A number of American service members were diagnosed with traumatic brain injury after the attack, and at least one Iraqi service member was injured.

The air base has been used by the United States since 2004, following the invasion of Iraq, and has been visited by former US presidents George W Bush and later Donald Trump.