US contractor dies during rocket attack on military base in Iraq

Incident comes as tensions between Washington and Tehran run high and two days before pope's visit

A US contractor died of cardiac failure after rocket fire hit an Iraqi base hosting American-led troops on Wednesday, the Pentagon said, two days before Pope Francis' visit to the country.

Around 10 rockets struck the Ain al-Assad military base in Iraq's western desert after several weeks of escalating tensions between the US and Iran on Iraqi soil.