Iran has fired a number of missiles at two US army targets in Iraq in retaliation for President Donald Trump’s choice final week to kill Qassem
Iran has fired a number of missiles at two US army targets in Iraq in retaliation for President Donald Trump’s choice final week to kill Qassem Soleimani, the chief of Iran’s most elite army and intelligence pressure.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, part of Iran’s army during which Soleimani was a number one determine, claimed accountability for the assault, and top-level Iranian officials are already boasting concerning the strikes. For days, Iranian leaders signaled that they might strike US army targets in response to Soleimani’s killing.
A spokesperson for US Central Command informed me that Iran fired 15 missiles: 10 struck Al Asad airbase west of Baghdad, Iraq; one struck Erbil in northern Iraq; and 4 failed. David Cloud of the Los Angeles Times experiences that the US was in a position to observe the launches with radar, giving personnel time to take cowl.
A White Home official informed me that there have been no American casualties, which tracks with multiple different reports citing unnamed sources saying that there have been no US casualties from the strikes. There are unconfirmed experiences saying Iraqis might have died.
Prime US leaders, together with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Protection Mark Esper, simply left an hour-long situation room meeting with the president. It’s unclear if any choice was taken throughout that dialogue.
It’s vital to notice that Iran doesn’t have missiles that may attain the US mainland from Iran, nor does it have a nuclear weapon. It’s why Iran makes use of proxies and weapons at its disposal primarily to strike US targets and American allies within the Center East.
Nonetheless, Iran has threatened to attack contained in the US if America responds particularly to this assault — which implies an Iranian strike contained in the US isn’t imminent. Iran has additionally vowed to assault the cities of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and Haifa in Israel if Iranian soil is bombed.
Particulars are nonetheless creating, however right here’s what we do and don’t know to this point. We are going to proceed to replace this story as we be taught extra.
What we all know
- A US Central Command spokesperson informed me that Iran fired 15 missiles, 4 of which didn’t hit their goal. Ten have been struck Al Asad airbase and one struck Erbil.
- A White Home official informed me there are not any American casualties, although it’s unclear if there are Iraqi casualties.
- Iran has threatened to assault contained in the US if America retaliates to this particular assault. Iran has additionally vowed to assault the cities of Dubai within the United Arab Emirates and Haifa in Israel if Iranian soil is bombed.
- The FAA has barred US airlines from flying over Iraq and Iran.
What we don’t know
- If anybody has been formally confirmed as injured or killed
- What the US response might be to the assault