Iran fired a number of missiles at two Iraqi bases housing US troops Wednesday in retaliation for the American strike that killed a top Iranian general last week. The early morning attack presents President Donald Trump with the biggest test of his presidency to date.
A US official told CNN that there were no initial reports of any US casualties from the attack, but an assessment of the impact of the strikes is underway. Iraq's joint military command said there were no casualties among Iraqi military forces.
"Between 1:45 a.m. and 2:45 a.m., Iraq came under an attack of 22 missiles," the Iraqi military said in a statement. "All missiles struck coalition bases."
This still image from an Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting video shot on January 8, 2020, allegedly shows rockets launched from Iran againts the US military base in Ein-al Asad in Iraq.
White House aides had initially made plans for a possible address to the nation by Trump after the missile strikes, according to two officials, but a White House official said the President would not speak immediately.
Trump later tweeted, "All is well! 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."
The attack comes days after the US killed top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in an airstrike in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. The administration had sought to cast that strike as an attempt to de-escalate tensions with Iran, but Tehran has described it as an "act of war" and "state terrorism."
In a statement, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, an elite wing of the Iranian military said the attacks on Iraqi bases were "hard revenge" for the death of Soleimani. The IRGC said any country housing US troops could be subject to "hostile and aggressive acts" and called on American citizens to demand the government remove US troops from the region.
"To the Great Satan ... we warn that if you repeat your wickedness or take any additional movements or make additional aggression, we will respond with more painful and crushing responses," the statement to the US read.
An image taken from video shown on Iran's Sima News reportedly shows the launch of the missiles fired at the Ain al-Asad airbase in Iraq.