An ISIS cell equipped with five BM-21 Grad rockets was excavated by Iraqi authorities in the Kirkuk city on Monday. The missiles were already on their launch pads ready to be fired. They were apparently intended to be fired against the Iraqi Army's Eighth Division in Kirkuk. Six members of the ISIS were arrested during the operation. According to Iraqi security authorities, during interrogation they admitted involvement in several attacks on security agencies and civilians.

So far, mostly Shiite militias under Iranian control have been blamed for the frequent missile attacks on military installations in Iraq. However, ISIS may well have an interest in escalating the confrontation between the U.S. and Iran. From this perspective, analysts have repeatedly linked the missile attacks on US facilities to ISIS.