Rockets hit US airbase in N.Iraq: Army

By Mohamed Waleed

BAGHDAD (AA) - Two Katyusha rockets hit Balad airbase in Iraq, the army said on Friday.

"The Katyusha rockets landed at Balad airbase in Saladin province without causing any casualties or material damage," said an official statement.

Balad airbase, located some 64 kilometers (40 miles) north of Baghdad, includes a squadron of Iraqi Air Force F-16s, as well as U.S. troops and government contractors.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks.

The attacks come at a time of escalated tensions between the U.S. and Iran amid fears Iraq could turn into a battleground between the two countries.

Almost 5,000 U.S. troops were deployed in several military bases throughout Iraq as part of the international coalition to fight the terrorist group Daesh/ISIS.

*Bassel Barakat contributed to this report from Ankara