US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that no American or Iraqis were killed when Iran launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles against US military and coalition forces in Iraq on Wednesday morning.
“No Americans were harmed in last night's attack by the Iranian regime. All of our soldiers are safe and only minimal damage was sustained at our military bases," said Trump, adding that the US forces are “prepared for anything."
Trump said Iran appears to be standing down following the attack.
The attack came after pro-Tehran factions in Iraq vowed to join forces to “respond” to an American drone strike that killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi top commander Abu Mahdi al-Mohandes in Baghdad last week.
The Pentagon said it was clear the missiles were launched from Iran “and targeted at least two Iraqi military bases hosting US military and coalition personnel at Al-Assad and Irbil,” according to a statement from Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Jonathan Hoffman.
Iran’s attack was its most brazen direct assault on America since the 1979 seizing of the US Embassy in Tehran.
Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that the country had “concluded proportionate measures in self-defense.”
The attack came in three waves just after midnight, according to sources.
President Trump was briefed at the time and was said to be “monitoring the situation closely and consulting with his national security team,” according to White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham.
Trump had visited the Al-Assad base during his December 2018 trip to Iraq.
