By: Fern Sidman
The Pentagon confirmed on Tuesday evening that Iran launched surface-to-air missiles at US military and coalition forces in Iraq. The Pentagon said Iran fired more than a dozen missiles at US airbases in Iraqi territory, according to the CNN report.
Iranian state TV said the attack was in revenge for the killing of Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, prompted angry calls to avenge his death, which drastically raised tensions in the Middle East, as was reported by AP.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warned the U.S. and its regional allies against retaliating over the missile attack against the Ain Assad air base in Iraq’s western Anbar province. The AP reported that the Guard issued the warning via a statement carried by Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency.
“We are warning all American allies, who gave their bases to its terrorist army, that any territory that is the starting point of aggressive acts against Iran will be targeted,” The Guard said. It also threatened Israel, as was reported by AP.
Ap reported that State TV said the operation’s name was “Martyr Soleimani.” It said the Guard’s aerospace division that controls Iran’s missile program launched the attack. Iran said it would release more information later.
“It is clear that these missiles were launched from Iran and targeted at least two Iraqi military bases hosting US military and coalition personnel at Al-Assad and Irbil,” Jonathan Hoffman, assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, said in a statement, according to a CNN report.
“We are working on initial battle damage assessments. In recent days and in response to Iranian threats and actions, the Department of Defense has taken all appropriate measures to safeguard our personnel and partners. These bases have been on high alert due to indications that the Iranian regime planned to attack our forces and interests in the region,” said the Pentagon statement.
“As we evaluate the situation and our response, we will take all necessary measures to protect and defend US personnel, partners, and allies in the region.”
“We are working on initial battle damage assessments,” Hoffman added. The bases, he said, have been on high alert “due to indications that the Iranian regime planned to attack our forces and interests in the region.”
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is taking responsibility for the rocket attack that struck the air base that houses American and Iraqi troops.
The IRGC said, “It has hit US Ain al-Asad air base in Iraq with tens of missile,” a Press TV urgent banner read.
CNN reported that the IRGC has warned the US of more “crushing responses in case of new aggression,” a banner on Iran’s state-run Press TV said. The IRGC said it will target any regional state that becomes a platform for US aggression, a second banner read.
The Iraqi al-Asad air base, which houses American troops, is under rocket fire and rounds continue to come in, a military source told VOA.
VOA has reported that Al-Asad is located in Anbar province, once the heart of the Sunni insurgency, and remains a hotbed of support for IS militants who once controlled major cities like Fallujah and Ramadi and other towns and villages across the Euphrates. AP reported that the airbase was first used by American forces after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein. It houses about 1,500 U.S. and coalition forces.
VOA sources say there have been at least 30 rounds fired so far.
CNN reported that during a meeting with key House Democrats on Tuesday night, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was discussing the situation in Iran when she was handed a note with news of a rocket attack on a US military base in Iraq, lawmakers who attended the meeting said.
Rep. Dan Kildee said she paused the discussion to alert the members of the Steering Committee of the news. Rep. Debbie Dingell said that Pelosi told members to pray.
President Trump was briefed on reports of rocket attacks at an air base where US troops are housed in Iraq, his spokesperson said.
“We are aware of the reports of attacks on US facilities in Iraq. The President has been briefed and is monitoring the situation closely and consulting with his national security team,” White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said.
A senior US military official told Fox News that missiles were fired in multiple locations across Iraq, describing it as a series of attacks on US forces from Iran.
The Iranian attack follows several days of back-and-forth threats between the US and Iran following Soleimani’s death.
A spokesperson for the Norwegian Armed Forces told AP in a phone interview that about 70 Norwegian troops were on the airbase, but no injuries have been reported, Brynjar Stordal, a spokesperson for the Norwegian Armed Forces told AP in a phone interview.”
The revenge attack came a mere few hours after crowds in Iran mourned Soleimani and as the U.S. continued to reinforce its own positions in the region and warned of an unspecified threat to shipping from Iran in the region’s waterways, crucial routes for global energy supplies, as was reported by AP.
As for the mourning process in Iran, AP reported that a stampede broke out Tuesday at Soleimani’s funeral. At least 56 people were killed and more than 200 were injured as thousands thronged the procession, Iranian news reports said.
Tuesday’s deadly stampede took place in Soleimani’s hometown of Kerman as his coffin was being borne through the city in southeastern Iran, said Pirhossein Koulivand, head of Iran’s emergency medical services, as was reported by AP.
U.S. embassies and consulates from Asia to Africa and Europe issued security alerts for Americans. The U.S. Air Force launched a drill with 52 fighter jets in Utah, just days after President Trump threatened to hit 52 sites in Iran.
INN reported that on Sunday, Trump doubled down on his threat and asserted that cultural sites in Iran are appropriate sites for retaliation.
“They’re allowed to kill our people. They’re allowed to torture and maim our people. they’re allowed to use roadside bombs and blow up our people. And we’re not allowed to touch their cultural site? It doesn’t work that way,” he told reporters.
On Monday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani responded to Trump’s threats and said nobody should threaten his country.
On Tuesday evening CNN reported that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s spokesperson issued this statement:
“Leader Schumer received a call from VP Pence at 6:15pm and was briefed on the Iranian strikes on installations in Iraq with US forces. Leader Schumer is closely monitoring the situation and is praying for the safety of our service members and other personnel.”
A spokesman for the Senate Armed Services Chairman Sen. Inhofe told CNN he has also been briefed:
“Senator Inhofe has been briefed and is getting regular updates from the Secretary of Defense. He is monitoring the situation closely.”
At 3:21 pm on Tuesday, CNN correspondent Barbara Starr tweeted: Pentagon to begin sending 6 B-52s to Diego Garcia: US official. B-52s will be available for operations against Iran if ordered, the official said. But the deployment does not signal that operations have been ordered. #Iran #Solemani.
Diego Garcia has been a launching point for US military actions in the Middle East — including the 2001 campaign against Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. And the Pentagon traditionally has deployed long-range bombers and other aircraft as a sign of U.S. forces’ presence and capabilities.
“The United States is not seeking a war with Iran, but we are prepared to finish one,” Defense Secretary Mark Esper said. The Pentagon this week ordered six B-52 bombers to deploy to the British territory of Diego Garcia, an atoll in the Indian Ocean.
Several reports claim that those bombers are there for possible operations against Iran.
It is unclear how many of the half dozen bombers came from Barksdale Air Force Base.
