We have killed 80 Americans in missile strike, claims Iran

A sprawling airbase in western Iraq that hosted President Donald Trump during his first visit to a combat zone as commander in chief was one of two military installations where US troops are stationed that came under ballistic missile attack by Iran early Wednesday.

The attacks came hours after US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said the US should expect retaliation over the US killing of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike in Iraq on Friday.

“We received an official verbal message from the Islamic Republic of Iran that the Iranian response to the assassination of Qasem Soleimani had begun or would begin shortly, and that the strike would be limited to where the US military was located in Iraq without specifying the locations,” Iran’s prime minister’s office said on Wednesday.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned on Wednesday the attack by Iran on military bases in Iraq housing western troops in retaliation for the U.S. killing of an Iranian general. “We, of course, condemn the attack on Iraqi military bases hosting coalition forces. Iran should not repeat these reckless and dangerous attacks but must instead pursue urgent de-escalation,” Johnson told parliament.

While the Syrian government is expressing full solidarity with Iran, saying Tehran has the right to defend itself “in the faceoff American threats and attacks. “The foreign ministry said in a statement Wednesday that Syria holds the “American regime responsible for all the repercussions due to its reckless policy and arrogant mentality.”’

Here’s what we know about the bases and the scale of the attack on Wednesday:
Iranian state television said at least 80 “American terrorists” were killed in attacks involving 15 missiles Tehran launched on US targets in Iraq, adding that none of the missiles were intercepted.

But United States president Donald Trump said in a tweet that an assessment of casualties and damage from the strikes was under way and “All is well!”

Iran’s supreme leader said a “slap in the face” was delivered to the US after the attack. “Last night, a slap in the face was delivered,” Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a speech broadcast live on state television.

Iranian state TV also said Iran had 100 other targets in the region in its sights if Washington took any retaliatory measures. It also said US helicopters and military equipment were “severely damaged”.

Iran’s army also renewed a demand for U.S. troops to be withdrawn from the Middle East.

What is the strategic importance of Ain al-Asad and Irbil bases?
During the past two years, both Trump and Vice President Mike Pence made unexpected visits to the base, which is in Anbar province and about 135 miles from the Syrian border. At the time of his visit, which he left for on Christmas night in 2018, Trump characterized the journey as harrowing and under the cloak of darkness.

US troops have trained Iraqi troops at the base, located in Anbar province northwest of Baghdad, as part of Washington’s bid to build a force that could mount an offensive against Islamic State militants.

Aside from US and Iraqi forces, the air base has also hosted U.S.-led coalition partners Denmark. (TET)