Iran fires missiles at US military facilities in Iraq

LIVE UPDATES: IRGC retaliates with rocket strikes on Iraqi military bases housing US troops Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired 22 missiles at two military bases housing US troops in Iraq early on Wednesday morning in retaliation for the targeted killing of a senior military general last week. The Ain Al Asad base in central Iraq’s Anbar province and an Iraqi military facility in Erbil in northern Iraq were targeted by ballistic missiles, the Pentagon said. The attacks took place around 1.30 am local Iraqi time. Iranian officials said Tehran did not want a war and its strikes "concluded" its response to Friday's killing of Qassem Suleimani, a powerful general whose burial after days of mourning was completed around the time of the missile launches. Iranian television showed mourners celebrating the attack. The Pentagon said there were no casualties confirmed so far. It confirmed that the rockets were fired from Iranian territory. Iraq, Poland, Norway, Denmark, Germany and Australia have also said that they suffered no casualties from the attacks. Iranian state television said 80 "American terrorists" had been killed and US helicopters and military equipment damaged. It did not provide evidence of how it obtained that information and it conflicts with early reports from Washington that no service personnel were wounded. Two of the 17 missiles targeting Ain Al Asad did not go off, the Iraqi military said in a statement on Wednesday. The five on Erbil all targeted the coalition headquarters. "Iraq was subjected between 1:45 and 2:45 this morning of 8 January 2020 to bombardment by 22 missiles; 17 missiles fell on Ain Al Asad air base including two that did not explode ... and five on the city of Erbil that all fell on coalition headquarters. No casualties among Iraqi forces were recorded," the statement said. Britain on Wednesday condemned the Iranian missile attacks. "We condemn this attack on Iraqi military bases hosting Coalition – including British – forces," British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said. Iran state television said the IRGC launched the attack. "We are warning all American allies, who gave their bases to its terrorist army, that any territory that is the starting point of aggressive acts against Iran will be targeted," it said in a statement carried by Iran's state-run IRNA news agency. A senior official in the office of the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said that the response was the “weakest” of Iran’s retaliation scenarios. Mr Khamenei described the overnight strikes as “a slap on the face" of the US and added that Washington is Tehran’s enemy. He also appeared to rule out any return to dialogue on the 2015 nuclear deal saying that talks would “pave the way for US dominance” just days Iranian officials said they were suspending all obligations under the deal ripped up by Mr Trump in 2018. The attacks took place just hours after the funeral to bury Suleimani. Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said, "As we evaluate the situation and our response, we will take all necessary measures to protect and defend US personnel, partners, and allies in the region.” More than 5,000 US troops remain in Iraq along with other foreign forces in coalition that has trained and backed Iraqi forces against the threat of ISIS militants. Top US military advisers arrived at the White House following the attacks, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark Esper. Vice President Mike Pence has been in contact with congressional leaders, his spokeswoman said. “All is well!” US President Donald Trump tweeted after the attack. “Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning.” Other US officials commented on the incident. "We are aware of the reports of attacks on US facilities in Iraq. The President has been briefed and is monitoring the situation closely and consulting with his national security team," White House communications director Stephanie Grisham said. Mr Trump visited the Ain Al Asad base in 2018. A statement from assistant to the secretary of defence for public affairs Jonathan Hoffman said the Pentagon was working on "initial battle damage assessments". "In recent days and in response to Iranian threats and actions, the Department of Defence has take all appropriate measures to safeguard our personnel and our partners. These bases have been on high alert due to indications that the Iranian regime planned to attack our forces and interests in the region," the statement said. "As we evaluate the situation and our response, we will take all necessary measures to protect and defend US personnel, partners, and allies in the region." The Federal Aviation Administration has now banned US aircraft from operations over Iran, Iraq and the Gulf of Oman. It said due to “heightened military and political” tensions, US civil aircraft were not to fly there. The notice to airmen (NOTAM) was issued just hours after Iran targeted bases housing US troops in Iraq. NOTAMs are used by aviation authorities to alert aircraft pilots of potential hazards along a flight route or at a location that could affect the safety of the flight. Several airlines – including Emirates, flydubai, EgyptAir and Qantas – have all cancelled some or all flights to Iraq. The price of oil spiked by over four per cent following news of the attack, from $62.70 to $63.67, as investors were spooked at the heightening tensions in the Gulf. Over the course of the US-Iran conflict, Gold prices have risen to highs not seen since 2013. Earlier on Tuesday, US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper said he fully expected Tehran to retaliate for the planned hit on Suleimani. "I think we should expect they will retaliate in some way, shape or form," the Pentagon chief told reporters at the Pentagon on Tuesday. Also on Tuesday, President Trump said a US withdrawal of troops from Iraq would be the worst thing for the country. The US currently has about 5,000 troops stationed in Iraq. Those comments came a day after a letter was leaked, which was sent from a US commander to his Iraqi counterpart to plan the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq.

Iran fires missiles at US military facilities in Iraq

The attack comes hours after funeral of slain general Qassem Suleimani