What Happened
At least three rockets landed on the Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq’s western Anbar province, which hosts U.S. troops, causing no casualties, Reuters reported July 5. That same day, U.S. military officials also said a weaponized drone launched by Iranian militias was shot down near the U.S. embassy compound in Baghdad.

Why It Matters
The back-and-forth between Iran-backed militias and the U.S. military in Iraq is reaching another peak that risks becoming more deadly. Until the United States publishes a clear timeline for its withdrawal from Iraq, militias will pose a threat to the safety of the remaining U.S. forces in the country via continued rocket, mortar and drone attacks on U.S. infrastructure and bases housing U.S. troops.

Background
On June 27, the U.S. launched airstrikes near the Iraq-Syria border against infrastructure and storage facilities used by Iran-backed militias, killing four militiamen. On July 5, the leader of the Iraqi militia Abu Alaa al-Walae vowed to retaliate for the deaths during a rare interview with the Associated Press.