Iraqi military bases hosting US troops in Iraq’s western Anbar province and the capital Baghdad were hit by Katyusha rockets on Wednesday.
And in Syria, eight rounds of indirect fire landed inside a base with members of the US-led coalition, the Iraqi and US militaries said.
No casualties were reported in the three attacks, part of a series that began on Monday, the anniversary of a US air strike that killed top Iranian general Qassem Suleimani in Baghdad two years ago.
An Iraqi officer said a base housing US troops in the western Anbar province was hit with five Katyusha rockets on Wednesday evening. Three other rockets fell outside the base’s perimeter.
The officer said US-led coalition forces at the base were forced into shelters by the barrage.
There was no immediate comment from the coalition, which is in Iraq to help fight ISIS.
Later Wednesday, a previously unheard-of group in Iraq calling itself Qassem Al Jabarayn claimed responsibility for the Ain Al Asad attack.
The group pledged in an online post to keep up attacks until the full withdrawal of US forces.
Since Suleimani’s death, Iran-backed militias in Iraq have become increasingly unruly and disparate, although some analysts say they have splintered only to allow them to claim attacks under different names to hide their involvement.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Iraqi military said a rocket launcher with one rocket was found in a residential district in western Baghdad, an area used in the past by Iran-backed militias to fire at the airport.
In eastern Syria, the rounds hit a base run by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces with a small coalition advisory presence. The coalition said there was minor damage.
Coalition forces, acting on intelligence, responded by firing six rounds of artillery towards the point of origin of the attack just outside the eastern town of Mayadeen, a stronghold of Iran-backed fighters, the coalition said.
“Iran-supported malign actors fired … from within civilian infrastructure with no regard for civilian safety,” it said.
The coalition said that hours earlier, US-led coalition forces had watched several launch sites near the base known as Green Village.
Coalition forces conducted strikes to eliminate the threats, it said.
“The coalition reserves the right to defend itself and partner forces against any threat, and will continue to do everything within its power to protect those forces,” said Maj Gen John Brennan, commander of the joint task force.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said on Wednesday that the military has been preparing for increased attacks in Iraq around the end of the year.
“We’re very mindful of the threat environment and it is very dynamic right now,” Mr Kirby said.
He said the attacks could be related to the anniversary of Suleimani’s killing or a reaction to the continuing presence of American forces in Iraq, but are probably a combination of both.
Iranian-backed militias have wanted all US troops out of the country, and many believed that would happen by the end of the year.
On Monday, two armed drones were shot down as they headed towards a centre housing US advisers at Baghdad airport.
Two explosives-laden drones targeting an Iraqi military base housing US troops in western Anbar province were destroyed on Tuesday.
The 2020 US drone strike at Baghdad’s airport killed Suleimani, who was the head of Iran’s overseas operations branch, the Quds Force, and Abu Mahdi Al Muhandis, deputy commander of Iran-backed militias in Iraq known as the Popular Mobilisation Forces.
Pro-Iran factions in Iraq have vowed revenge for the killing and have said attacks against the US presence in Iraq would stop only when American troops leave the country.
The US-led coalition formally ended its combat mission supporting Iraqi forces in the continuing fight against ISIS last month.
About 2,500 troops will remain as the coalition shifts to an advisory mission to continue supporting Iraqi forces.
The top US commander for the Middle East, Gen Frank McKenzie, warned last month that he expected increasing attacks on US and Iraqi personnel by Iranian-backed militias.
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
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The specs
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The rules of the road keeping cyclists safe
Cyclists must wear a helmet, arm and knee pads
Have a white front-light and a back red-light on their bike
They must place a number plate with reflective light to the back of the bike to alert road-users
Avoid carrying weights that could cause the bike to lose balance
They must cycle on designated lanes and areas and ride safe on pavements to avoid bumping into pedestrians
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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THE BIO
Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.
Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
The biog
Hobbies: Writing and running
Favourite sport: beach volleyball
Favourite holiday destinations: Turkey and Puerto Rico