Tens of missiles were launched from Iran early Wednesday at two Iraq air bases housing US and coalition troops. Hit were Al Asad and Erbil bases.
Iranian state TV said ‘tens’ of surface-to-surface missiles were launched by Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).
‘Under missile attack from Iran,’ Fox News reported a senior US military source in Iraq said.
‘These are either cruise missiles or short range ballistic missiles. All over the country.’
Some unconfirmed reports said the rockets were as many as 30. The extent of casualties or material damage is not known yet.
The incident comes as the US and Iran stand on the brink of open war, after the assassination of Lt. General Qassem Soleimani.
“This morning, courageous fighters of the IRGC’s Air Force launched a successful operation called Operation Martyr Soleimani, with the code ‘Oh Zahra’ by firing tens of ground-to-ground missiles at the base of the terrorist and invasive U.S. forces,” the country’s state-run news outlet ISNA reported.
Tasnim News Agency, also Iranian owned confirmed the strike, saying it was a retaliation for the assassination of Soleimani.
“Tens of surface-to-surface missiles” were fired at the strategic airbase but the exact number is not known now”, Tasnim reported..
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said that it would release more details about the strike.
The strike comes as no surprise since Iran had vowed to take a “harsh revenge”.
White House reacts
“We are aware of the reports of attacks on US facilities in Iraq,” according to a statement from White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham.
“The President has been briefed and is monitoring the situation closely and consulting with his national security team.”
Statement by spokesman of Secretary of defense:
“At exactly 5.30 p.m(EST) on January 7, Iran launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles against US military and coalition forces in Iraq. It is clear that these missiles were launched from Iran and targeted at least two Iraqi military and coalition personnel at Al Asad and Irbil.
“We are working on initial battle damage assessments”.