Ever since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas almost four months ago,

U.S. leaders have been afraid that the conflict would grow,

and that could have an impact on U.S. troops in other parts of the Middle East.

A U.S. military base in Iraq was attacked on Saturday.

According to a statement from U.S. Central Command,

Iranian-backed militants launched ballistic missiles and rockets at the al-Assad air base near Baghdad.

Some of the missiles making a direct impact but the Pentagon says that most of them were

intercepted by air defense. The Pentagon blamed that attack on Iranian-backed militias.

It was one of the most serious attacks against American forces in the Middle East in recent months.

Four Americans were treated for traumatic brain injuries.

Well, this is exactly the kind of escalatory strike

by Iran-backed militants at the White House

has been trying to avoid a brutal.

Similar strikes have targeted US troops in Syria.

And in Yemen, Iranian-backed militias have taken aim at U.S. economic

interests by launching attacks against military and commercial ships in the Red Sea.

The Pentagon has been responding to those attacks.

Earlier this week, U. week US forces hit three facilities

in Iraq and two anti-ship missiles in Yemen that were operated by Iranian-backed

militias including the Houthis. Here's Pentagon Press Secretary Major General Patrick

Ryder on Fox News. The goal here is to disrupt and degrade their ability to

conduct these kinds of attacks going ahead in the future and essentially making it very clear

...