Ain Al Asad: rockets hit Iraqi base hosting US troops

Three rockets struck the Iraqi-US base

A photo taken from a helicopter shows Ain Al Asad air base in the western Anbar desert, Iraq. AP

Three rockets hit Iraq's Ain Al Asad military base hosting US troops on Monday afternoon, US coalition spokesman Wayne Marotto said.

The rockets struck the perimeter of the base at about 2.45pm, without causing any injuries. The damage is still being assessed, he said.

Photos posted on social media showed a large plume of smoke rising above the base.

The Ain Al Asad base in Anbar province hosts the largest contingent of US troops in Iraq.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but the US has previously blamed Iran-backed militia groups for launching repeated rocket attacks against American troops in Iraq.

In response, the US last week launched air strikes against Iranian-supported Iraqi militias operating in Iraq and Syria.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the air strikes were intended to send a "strong message" to stop attacks on US forces in Iraq.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi called the strikes an "unacceptable violation of Iraqi sovereignty and Iraqi national security".

Rather than deterring the militias, the strikes prompted retaliatory attacks as the groups called for revenge against the US.

One day after the US attack, American troops came under fire from Iran-backed groups operating in eastern Syria. No casualties were reported.