Iran Says It Has Launched Missiles at Iraqi Air Base Where U.S. Troops Are Housed
Iran state TV says Tehran has launched “tens” of surface-to-surface missiles at Iraq’s Ain Assad air base housing U.S. troops over America’s killing of a top Iranian general.
CBS News Coverage of Missile Strike
ABC News Coverage of Missile Strike
State TV described it early Wednesday as Tehran’s revenge operation over the killing of Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
U.S. forces could not be immediately reached for comment. State TV said the operation’s name was “Marytr Soleimani.” It said the Guard’s aerospace division, which controls Iran’s missile program, launched the attack.
Meanwhile in Washington, President Trump and his top advisers are being pressured to disclose more detail about the intelligence that led him to order the killing of Soleimani. The general’s death has greatly heightened tension with Tehran.
Trump contended Tuesday that his decision saved American lives and that members of Congress will be briefed on what led to the attack.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper told reporters at the Pentagon that Iranian threats against Americans were “days away” from being executed. Democrats are calling for more information to be declassified.
Iraq’s outgoing prime minister says the United States has no alternative and must pull its troops out of the country, or else face an impending crisis. But President Trump counters that it’s not the right time for a pullout and that it would be the worst thing that could happen to Iraq.
Trump says a U.S. pullout would allow Iran to gain a stronger foothold in Iraq. Trump says “the people of Iraq do not want to see Iran running the country.”
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