Hotel Blast in Tikrit

From the Sydney Morning Herald comes this breaking news:

A rocket slammed into a hotel in the northern Iraqi city of Tikrit, killing 15 people and injuring eight, US and Iraqi officials said.

A second rocket was fired at a US military position but caused no damage or casualties.

The blast at the Sunubar Hotel sent frightened guests of the three-storey hotel running into the street, some barefooted, others with bloodstains on their clothes.

Dr Hassan al-Juburi, director of the Tikrit Teaching Hospital, said the blast happened at 8pm (0400 AEST). The eight injured included two policemen and all the victims were Iraqis, officials said.

The attack is blamed on insurgent forces.