InfoSearched
Published -
- January 7, 2020
- 11:59 pm
Iran launches missiles.
Ain Al-Assad air base is located in Iraq’s western Anbar province; Trey Yingst reports from Baghdad.
What was the reason behind Iran launching ballistic missiles on US military bases in Iraq in January 2020?
On 8th January 2020, Iran launched a series of ballistic missiles on US military bases in Iraq. This move came as retaliation after US forces killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani on 3rd January in a drone strike near Baghdad airport.
The attack targeted two bases, one located in Al-Asad in western Iraq and the other in Erbil in the Kurdish region of Iraq. The US Department of Defense confirmed that no American or Iraqi soldiers were killed in the attack, but there were reports of mild injuries.
The Iranian government claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that it was a defensive move against the United States. The Iranian Foreign Minister, Javad Zarif, stated on Twitter that Iran took “proportionate measures in self-defense” and does not seek an escalation of the conflict.
The attack has raised concerns of a possible escalation in tensions between Iran and the United States, which have been on the rise since the Trump administration unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal and imposed economic sanctions on Iran.
In his address to the nation following the attack, President Trump stated that Iran appeared to be standing down and that no American lives were lost in the attack. He also announced new economic sanctions on Iran and called for a diplomatic solution to the conflict.
The attack has also led to questions about the legality of the use of military force by both Iran and the United States. The United Nations has called for restraint and peaceful resolution of the conflict.
The situation in the Middle East remains uncertain, and it is unclear how both Iran and the United States will proceed. The attack has further eroded the fragile relationship between the two countries, and it is essential for leaders on both sides to work towards peaceful resolution of the conflict to ensure stability in the region.
