A rocket strikes near foreign oil firms in Iraq, staff evacuated

BASRA: A rocket hit a site in southern Iraq used by foreign oil companies on Wednesday, including U.S. energy giant ExxonMobil. The strike wounded three people. This threatens to further escalate U.S.-Iran tensions in the region. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack near Iraq’s southern city of Basra.

It is the fourth time in a week that rockets have struck near U.S. installations.

An Iraqi security source said, ‘It appears that Iran-backed groups are behind the Basra incident.’ ‘According to our sources, the team (that launched the rocket) is made up of more than one group and were well trained in missile launching,’ the security source added.  He said they had received a hint several days ago that the U.S. consulate in Basra might be attacked but were taken by surprise when the rocket hit the oil site.

Hostility between the United States and Iran has been rising since President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and other world powers in May last year. (Agencies)