Iran Claims Responsibility for Missile Strikes on US Bases as White House Holds Meeting
Iran demands that the United States immediately withdraw from Iraq.
The US military base Ain al-Asad, located in Iraq's western Anbar province, and a base at Erbil airport in Kurdistan were hit by missile attacks. There is no information on casualties yet.
Iran has officially claimed responsibility for the attacks on the American base. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a statement. According to the IRGC statement, translated by Middle East specialist Ilya Kusa of the Ukrainian Institute of the Future:
- The IRGC demands that American forces immediately leave the territory of Iraq;
- Iran threatens to carry out heavier strikes if the US decides to respond;
- Iran warns other countries against helping the US, threatening to strike them.
The attacks began at 1:20 a.m., around the same time that General Qassem Soleimani was killed on January 3. The military operation was named "Martyr Soleimani."
The United States has confirmed the attacks on American military facilities.
White House
We are aware of reports of attacks on American facilities in Iraq. The president has been briefed, is monitoring the situation and is consulting with his national security team.
The Washington Post reports that at least two bases were attacked. According to the newspaper, more than 12 missiles were fired.
Videos of the strikes appeared on the Telegram channel "Assad's Mustache" run by Middle East analyst Ilya Kusa.
It is known that military personnel from allied forces were at the American base. Denmark and Germany reported that none of their soldiers were among the injured.
Upon learning of the strikes on American bases, people on a street in Tehran got out of their cars and, cheering, began shouting anti-American slogans. Saeed Jalili, a senior official and representative of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the Supreme National Security Council, posted the Iranian flag on Twitter.
Earlier, after the killing of General Qassem Soleimani, Donald Trump had posted the American flag.
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