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Officials Now Say 11 US Troops Injured During Iranian Missile Attack

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JERUSALEM, Israel – Nearly a dozen American troops were treated for injuries sustained during Iran’s missile attack on two military bases in Iraq on January 8, a spokesman for US Central Command revealed Thursday night.

Defense officials said eleven troops were treated for concussions after the attack despite President Donald Trump and Pentagon officials saying at the time that no service members were killed or injured.

“While no U.S. service members were killed in the Jan. 8 Iranian attack on Al Asad Airbase, several were treated for concussion symptoms from the blast and are still being assessed,” Capt. Bill Urban, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command in Tampa, Fla said. “As a standard procedure, all personnel in the vicinity of a blast are screened for traumatic brain injury, and if deemed appropriate, are transported to a higher level of care.”

Defense One was the first to report on the injured soldiers. 

“Out of an abundance of caution, some service members were transported from Al Asad Airbase, 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.”

Iran carried out the attacks in retaliation for the US killing top Iranian military general Qassem Soleimani on Jan. 3.

US troops were alerted of the attack hours before and took cover. However, other troops manned exposed positions, including at least one group of drone operators.

Explosions at the Al Asad Airbase damaged buildings and left large craters. 

While giving his first Friday sermon fo the first time in eight years, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the Iranian attack dealt a “blow to America's image” as a superpower.

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About The Author

Emily
Jones

Emily Jones is a multi-media journalist for CBN News in Jerusalem. Before she moved to the Middle East in 2019, she spent years regularly traveling to the region to study the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, meet with government officials, and raise awareness about Christian persecution. During her college years, Emily served as president of Regent University's Christians United for Israel chapter and spoke alongside world leaders at numerous conferences and events. She is an active member of the Philos Project, an organization that seeks to promote positive Christian engagement with the Middle