Explosion targets convoy of US military vehicles south of Iraqi capital

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An explosion targeted a convoy carrying vehicles for US troops near Yusufiyah, south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, on Monday.

The explosion caused material damages only, according to reports.

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Last Months, Pentagon chief Mark Esper said that the United States is awaiting a green light from the Iraqi government to deploy Patriot missile defense systems to protect US troops from Iranian missile attacks.

Iran launched 11 missiles at a US air base at Ain al-Assad and another at a base in Erbil on January 8 in retaliation for the killing days earlier of Iranian General Qassim Soleimani in a US drone strike in Baghdad.

No US troops were killed but more than 100 soldiers suffered traumatic brain injuries from the explosions, and Washington wants to deploy Patriot missiles to better protect the bases, which house some of the 5,200 US military personnel deployed in Iraq.

The Patriot systems are composed of high performance radars and interceptor missiles capable of destroying incoming ballistic missiles in flight.

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