Iraq security cell denies US aircraft landed at Ain al-Asad airbase

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Security Media Cell on Monday denied reports that US warplanes had landed at Ain al-Asad airbase, saying the claims were inaccurate and that no American aircraft had touched down at the facility. The cell, which serves as the official source on activity in Iraqi airspace and at military installations, said the circulating reports created a false impression of operations at the base. It urged the public not to trust information shared on social media and to rely solely on its own statements. Ain al-Asad, located in western Iraq's Anbar province, hosts one of the largest concentrations of US-led coalition forces in the country. The base has been a central hub for coalition operations against the Islamic State group. The Security Media Cell said it was monitoring developments closely and that official updates would be issued only through its channels. No further details were immediately available.