Iran retaliates for attack on general by firing missiles at U.S. forces in Iraq
Category: News & Politics
Via: perrie-halpern • 4 years ago • 14 commentsBy: Courtney Kube and Doha Madani
Iran retaliated for the killing of a top general by firing more than a dozen ballistic missiles at two Iraqi air bases housing U.S. forces on Wednesday local time.
Defense Department said there was no question about the source of the missiles, and the Iranian government quickly claimed responsibility.
"It is clear that these missiles were launched from Iran and targeted at least two Iraqi military bases hosting U.S. military and coalition personnel," the Pentagon said in a statement.
It was unclear whether there was any damage to Ain al-Asad air base, which President Donald Trump visited i n 2018, or whether there were any deaths or injuries.
The president said in a tweet that "all is well! " and that damages and casualties were being assessed.
"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," he said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif said the country did not "seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression."
"Iran took & concluded proportionate measures in self-defense under Article 51 of UN Charter targeting base from which cowardly armed attack against our citizens & senior officials were launched," Zarif said in a tweet, referring to the killing of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani .
The attack comes just days after Trump ordered an airstrike that killed Soleimani , the high-profile commander of Iran's secretive Quds Force .
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani vowed Friday that the country "will take revenge" for the general's death.
Soleimani was one of the most influential figures in the Middle East, having developed a network of powerful militia groups whose clandestine reach stretched into Iraq, Syria and beyond.
The attacks are the latest development in the United States' rapidly deteriorating relations with Iran. Tensions began simmering again after Trump unilaterally withdrew from a nuclear deal between Iran and several world powers in May 2018.
European allies have tried to salvage the deal, which restricted nuclear development in exchange for the easing of crippling economic sanctions. The agreement limited Tehran's uranium enrichment and the amount of enriched uranium it could stockpile, as well as its nuclear research and development.
Iran announced Sunday that it would no longer abide by the agreement and that recent events meant Iran would take an even bigger step away from the deal than it had initially planned, with no further limits on uranium enrichment.
Zarif said there "will no longer be any restriction on number of centrifuges."
Trump's decision to target Soleimani was met with mixed reactions , as some feared that the general's death would lead to another war in the Middle East.
Trump warned Saturday that the United States had 52 potential targets "very important to Iran & the Iranian culture" if Iran planned a retaliatory attack. The figure symbolizes the number of hostages held by Iran in 1979, when 52 U.S. diplomats and citizens were seized and held for 444 days.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., tweeted on Tuesday that the United States and the world "cannot afford war."
"Closely monitoring the situation following bombings targeting U.S. troops in Iraq. We must ensure the safety of our servicemembers, including ending needless provocations from the Administration and demanding that Iran cease its violence. America & world cannot afford war," she said.
it seems apparent, a face saving calculated miss of actual Americans, which all should applaud. Now, let us hope tne mental midget doesn't nuke Tehran before we wake up.
Once again, your hysteria is unfounded nonsense.
You want fake news? Here is a dose.
They learned from our media how to spin to save face. They are pulling the wool over the eyes of their populace.
Remember the body counts from Vietnam, lol.
... every night at the dinner table.
So ends the war that never began. Trump did not threaten war with Iran. Trump didn't call for the removal of a rogue government, didn't lambaste the Revolutionary regime's oppression of the Iranian people, and made no promises of liberating the Iranian people. Trump threatened tit for tat retaliation; threatened to do to Iran what Iran has done to others. Trump directly attacked the Iranian Revolutionary regime and then drew a red line. That was the game changer that broke the status quo.
So Iran got to throw a tantrum and pretend they could muster a meaningful response. Looks like it's over for now.
Well Cuz - let me be explicitly clear -I do not support Iran. Now that's out of the way. Iran called President Trump's bluff. As Trump placed destruction of 52 Iranian cultural sites and sounds on the table, Iran placed its stakes on the table: Destruction of Dubai, Israel, and Haifa. A raining down of missiles.
Through what has transpired Iran may have discovered it is not without options in this war of words with the American President. Much like North Korea, Iran has learned what matters to Trump and I fear will use the dread of it to turn aside any major wrath of President Trump.
Much like South Korea, nations in the Middle East can not relocate away from the reach of Iran's weapons. Trump may have exposed his Iranian cards—to our chagrin and Iran's exploitation.
Did Iran just check President Donald Trump?
No matter what Trump does he is in your eyes wrong.
In case you missed it Iran missed, on purpose if you believe them, and then fed their people some BS about killing 80 American terrorists, and destroying US helicopters and assets.
Iran just blinked. They had better hope Trump doesn't react to their showing weakness the way the Iranians would.
The leftist cries Trump starting a war just fell flat. Iran could try something else and change all of this; but right now Trump is too busy laughing at their response.
I am not sure what your comment has to do with the development suggested in my comment. See below:
Iran threatens to attack Dubai and Haifa if country is bombed
From CNN’s Artemis Moshtaghian
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in its Telegram channel that, in the event Iranian soil is bombed, it will target the cities of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Haifa, Israel, in the third wave of operations.
SOURCE :
* As for Trump being right or wrong in my eyes, for a good work I will not criticize Donald Trump. Not escalating with Iran today in his speech is a good thing for military wives, families, and extended families and friends. As a veteran , I support life and I understand the dilemmas which cause wars— a necessary evil.
As for Trump doing wrong, I will criticize him all day long for compulsive lying, omissions, and misleading statements. And as I a becoming "fond" of asking, because so far no one dares to attempt an answer:
Having abused the privilege (14,000 times plus): how do you, Ronin2, know when President Donald Trump is telling the citizenry the truth?
* Hi Ronin2, going forward it is my norm to not respond to comments using derogatory terms like, "leftists" and "rightists." Even when I wish to share more with the writer. So please be considerate.
Exactly. Trump ordered up one piece of precision-guided whoop-ass and exposed Iran as the bullies they are. Like most bullies, once confronted, they blinked.
Trump has also exposed the irrelevance of many of the talking heads in this country.
That is just rhetoric. What was this you conveniently left out?
..targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD. The USA wants no more threats!
President D. Trump 2:52 PM - Jan 4, 2020
So Ronin2: Iran struck back. It threatened . Now what? Who blinked? Don't spin it. Speak it!
This is really nothing new. Iran has been dropping mortars and missiles on US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan for over a decade now.