US Rocket Attack Damages Iraqi Hospital

At least 28 people were wounded when US rockets struck near a Sadr City hospital today, destroying a fleet of ambulances, Reuters reports. The US says the attack was targeting a nearby militia “command and control” center. Hospital windows were shattered, but no patients were injured. The attack came amid a new outbreak of Sadr City fighting that saw 14 gunman killed overnight.

“While I believe the target was not the hospital, we could have been informed before they did such a thing,” said the hospital’s manager. “At least we could have taken some precautions.” The US deflected criticism and said it had to strike. “The real question should be why these criminal elements seem to always put the Iraqi people at risk,” said one colonel. (More Iraq stories.)