Five missiles fired at ‘American’ oil company in Iraq - Iranian media

The alleged rocket attack fits a pattern of dozens of rocket attacks on bases housing US troops and against the embassy.

By SETH J. FRANTZMAN
Unused Katyusha rockets found by the Iraqi Army are seen in Umm al-Izam (photo credit: IRAQI MEDIA SECURITY CELL/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)
Unused Katyusha rockets found by the Iraqi Army are seen in Umm al-Izam
(photo credit: IRAQI MEDIA SECURITY CELL/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)
Amid rising tensions between Iran and the US, five missiles were fired at an “American oil company,” Iran's Fars News Agency reported Monday.
Photos posted online showed several rockets and a rocket launcher that were discovered in the wake of the attack. The rockets appeared to be the same 107mm rockets used in attacks on US forces over the last year.

 
The report is based on an Iraqi report Monday morning that rockets had been fired at a company linked to Halliburton. How the website knew this is unclear, and photos were not available from the scene. It was also unclear who fired the alleged rockets; it could also be blamed on ISIS.

However, the alleged rocket attack fits a pattern of dozens of such attacks on bases housing US troops and against the US Embassy.
In 2018, there were attacks on US facilities in Basra, and some foreign workers were evacuated from the oil fields. The US evacuated its consulate in Basra and warned Iran and its proxies against attacks. Social-justice protesters in October and November 2019 blocked roads to the oil fields around Basra.
The Iranian report, whether accurate or not, is evidence of Iran’s attempt to play up attacks on the US in Iraq as part of a media campaign trying to warn the US to leave the Islamic Republic’s neighbor. Iranian media is flooded with reports of anti-US politicians and forces in Iraq.
Washington has been slowly repositioning forces in Iraq, withdrawing from K-1, Q-West, Qiam, Taqaddum and other sites in recent weeks. The US says this is due to coronavirus, but many other countries are also withdrawing their forces, including the Czech Republic, the UK and France, leaving these posts exposed to attacks.
America is in Iraq to fight ISIS. But in recent months it has carried out three airstrikes on Iranian-backed proxies and their leaders, including Iranian IRGC Quds Force head Qasem Soleimani. Pro-Iranian activists and politicians are trying to remove US forces from Iraq.
The report said the rockets hit near the “No. 20” oil well, one of the largest in Iraq. The website said investigations were ongoing. The rockets could have been fired by ISIS or other groups.
It is unclear why pro-Iranian groups would want to damage Iraq’s oil infrastructure, since they want to run the country. However, oil prices are at an all-time low, so the oil well has less importance now than it did in the past.