Iran yesterday fired a volley of missiles at Iraqi bases housing US and other foreign troops, the Islamic Republic’s first act in its promised revenge for the US killing of a top Iranian general.
Launched for the first time by forces inside Iran instead of a proxy, the attack marked a new turn in the intensifying confrontation between Washington and Tehran, sending world crude oil prices soaring.
“Iran launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles against US military and coalition forces in Iraq,” the Pentagon said. “It is clear that these missiles were launched from Iran, and targeted at least two Iraqi military bases hosting US military and coalition personnel.”
Photo: EPA-EFE / Iranian supreme leader’s office
The missiles targeted the sprawling Ain al-Asad airbase in western Iraq and a base in Arbil, both housing US and other foreign troops deployed as part of a US-led coalition fighting the remnants of the Islamic State group.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say in all matters of state, said it was a “slap in the face” for the US, but that revenge was yet to come.
The Pentagon said the facilities had been on “high alert” after days of steadily mounting tension.
The office of Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi said that it had received “an official verbal message” from Iran informing it that a missile attack on US forces was imminent.
The statement said the office was simultaneously contacted by Washington as the missiles rained down.
“Iraq rejects any violation of its sovereignty and attacks on its territory,” the statement said, without specifically condemning the missile strikes.
Iraqi President Barham Saleh denounced the attack and said the nation rejected attempts to turn it into a “battlefield for warring sides.”
Iraqi Council of Representatives Speaker Mohammed al-Halbusi took a tougher line, calling the strikes an “Iranian violation of Iraqi sovereignty,” adding that Iraq should not be used to “settle scores.”
The Iraqi military said that it sustained no casualties in 22 missile strikes, most of them hitting Ain al-Asad.
US President Donald Trump initial said that casualty assessments indicated “all is well.”
The strikes sparked worldwide condemnation and calls for de-escalation, including from NATO, Germany, France and the UK.
France said its forces deployed in Iraq sustained no casualties, while the UK was concerned about “reports” of victims as British troops are stationed there.
The Norwegian military said its coalition troops were warned of the attack in advance through intelligence channels.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps said that it hit Ain al-Asad with dozens of missiles in response to Friday last week’s US drone strike in Baghdad that killed Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.
It warned any US counterattack would be met with an even “more crushing response,” and threatened to strike Israeli and US “allied governments.”
Khamenei hinted at more to come.
“An important incident has happened. The question of revenge is another issue,” Khamenei said in a speech broadcast live on state TV. “Military actions in this form are not sufficient for that issue. What is important is that America’s corrupt presence must come to an end in this region.”
“We don’t retreat in the face of America,” Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said. “If they [the US] are wise, they won’t take any other action at this juncture.”
Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif seemed to indicate that the missile strikes were over for now.
“Iran took and concluded proportionate measures in self-defense,” Zarif wrote on Twitter.
He said the strikes targeted a base from which a “cowardly armed attack against our citizens and senior officials” was launched.
Hours before Iran struck, Trump tried to end confusion over his plans for the approximately 5,200 US troops in Iraq, saying that they should stay, despite calls by the Iraqi legislature for their expulsion.
“At some point we want to get out, but this isn’t the right point,” Trump told reporters.
Despite Washington’s assurances, several allies have started to leave, raising questions over the US-led mission to help the Iraqis fight militants.
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