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Iran launches missile attack at US forces in Iraq at al-Asad and Erbil – live updates Iran launches missile attack at US forces in Iraq at al-Asad and Erbil – live updates
(30 minutes later)
Pentagon confirms missiles targeting at least two bases as Revolutionary Guards claim attack ‘in name of Suleimani’Pentagon confirms missiles targeting at least two bases as Revolutionary Guards claim attack ‘in name of Suleimani’
The Ukrainian embassy to Iran has said that preliminary information suggests engine failure caused the crash of a Ukrainian airliner in Iran, rather than a missile attack or act of terrorism. Reuters reports that the embassy also said in a statement that 168 people had bought tickets for the flight.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is still speaking in Qoms. He’s now paying tribute to Qassam Suleimani. “His martyrdom showed that the revolution is alive,” he says. The crowd in the hall is audibly crying and chanting “Death to America”.
He addresses the missile strikes in Iraq only briefly. “We just gave them a slap in the face last night,” he says. “Retaliation, these military actions, do not compensate for the issue. What is important is the ending of American presence.”
Now he’s moved onto elucidating the evils of the US presence in the region.
Here’s the full statement from foreign secretary Dominic Raab, responding to the Iranian missile strikes against US troops in Iraq:Here’s the full statement from foreign secretary Dominic Raab, responding to the Iranian missile strikes against US troops in Iraq:
Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, is speaking now in the holy city of Qom. He is addressing a ceremony to commemorate a 1978 massacre of protesters by the Shah’s security forces. He says he will first discuss this anniversary before his talks about Qassam Suleimani and – we expect – the missile strikes overnight.Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, is speaking now in the holy city of Qom. He is addressing a ceremony to commemorate a 1978 massacre of protesters by the Shah’s security forces. He says he will first discuss this anniversary before his talks about Qassam Suleimani and – we expect – the missile strikes overnight.
The Guardian’s Beijing bureau researcher, Lillian Yang, reports that Iran’s Beijing embassy posted about the missile strikes on Weibo today, saying: “The end of the US’s evil force in western Asia has begun.”The Guardian’s Beijing bureau researcher, Lillian Yang, reports that Iran’s Beijing embassy posted about the missile strikes on Weibo today, saying: “The end of the US’s evil force in western Asia has begun.”
Reuters reports that Iran’s president will deliver a speech to the nation, Iranian state television said on Wednesday after Tehran launched missile strikes on U.S. targets in Iraq.Reuters reports that Iran’s president will deliver a speech to the nation, Iranian state television said on Wednesday after Tehran launched missile strikes on U.S. targets in Iraq.
It did not give a timing for the speech by President Hassan Rouhani.It did not give a timing for the speech by President Hassan Rouhani.
No Iraqis were harmed in Wednesday morning’s attacks on bases by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, according to the security cell of the country’s prime minister’s office. The cell says the missile barrage lasted for 30 minutes from 1.45am and included 22 projectiles, 17 of which landed on the Al Asad base, including two that failed to explode. A further five missiles struck the city of Erbil in the north.No Iraqis were harmed in Wednesday morning’s attacks on bases by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, according to the security cell of the country’s prime minister’s office. The cell says the missile barrage lasted for 30 minutes from 1.45am and included 22 projectiles, 17 of which landed on the Al Asad base, including two that failed to explode. A further five missiles struck the city of Erbil in the north.
So far we’ve had the Iraqis, the Canadians and the Norwegians say they suffered no casualties, and the US is saying “so far so good”. This supports the idea that Iran carefully designed this strike to satisfy its domestic audience that Qassem Suleimani’s death had been publicly avenged while also providing room for the US not to respond and to de-escalate the conflict.So far we’ve had the Iraqis, the Canadians and the Norwegians say they suffered no casualties, and the US is saying “so far so good”. This supports the idea that Iran carefully designed this strike to satisfy its domestic audience that Qassem Suleimani’s death had been publicly avenged while also providing room for the US not to respond and to de-escalate the conflict.
Our reporter Michael Safi writes that while this claim is “almost certainly not true”, it allows Iran to “beat their chest and claim victory”.Our reporter Michael Safi writes that while this claim is “almost certainly not true”, it allows Iran to “beat their chest and claim victory”.
In analysis for the Guardian, Safi writes that the highly symbolic missile strikes potentially offer “a pathway out of the crisis”.In analysis for the Guardian, Safi writes that the highly symbolic missile strikes potentially offer “a pathway out of the crisis”.
The Red Crescent organisation in Iran has confirmed that all those who were on board the Boeing flight from Tehran to Ukraine, which crashed minutes after takeoff, will have died. The plane was believed to have been carrying 180 people.The Red Crescent organisation in Iran has confirmed that all those who were on board the Boeing flight from Tehran to Ukraine, which crashed minutes after takeoff, will have died. The plane was believed to have been carrying 180 people.
Early indications suggested the crash did not appear to have links to Wednesday morning’s missile strikes on bases in Iraq hosting US and coalition troops.Early indications suggested the crash did not appear to have links to Wednesday morning’s missile strikes on bases in Iraq hosting US and coalition troops.
Presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard, who is a combat veteran as well as being a Congresswoman, was asked about the missile attacks tonight. She said that hearing about the attack at al-Asad airbase “brought back a flood of memories” from when she served in Iraq in 2005, during which time her camp “received daily mortar attacks, daily rocket attacks”.
“I just checked my phone, and I’ve got a flood of messages from friends of mine who I deployed with, some who are still serving in the National Guard or Reserves or on active duty. And honestly, they’re texting me saying: ‘What the fuck is going on?’
“Those of us who have served there understand very clearly the serious ramifications and the cost of what is happening here and the fact that we do not need to be here nor should we be in the position, as a country, of waging yet another wasteful, unnecessary war.”
Boeing has released a statement about reports that one of their passenger planes crashed minutes after takeoff from Tehran airport, though there’s not much information in the statement at this stage.
Canada has confirmed that its deployed personnel are safe and accounted for following the missile attacks.
Jon Ostrower, a self-confessed aviation geek and the editor-in-chief of The Air Current, has tweeted a screenshot of Flight Radar, which shows the plane that crashed taking off from Tehran.
He has also clarified the plane was a 737-800, not the 737 Max, which has been grounded since March after two fatal crashes.
Hello, this is Kate Lyons taking over from Maanvi Singh.
Some more breaking news out of Iran, a passenger plane carrying 180 people bound for the Ukrainian capital Kiev has crashed a few minutes after taking off from Tehran’s main international airport, according to Iranian media outlets.
The Boeing 737-800 operated by Ukrainian International Airlines took off from Imam Khomeini international airport at 6.12am Tehran time and crashed about eight minutes later, according to flight tracking websites.
At this stage, the crash appears to have no link to Wednesday morning’s missile strikes on bases in Iraq hosting US and coalition troops.
The story is just breaking, we’ll bring you updates in the blog and in our full news wrap here.
Iran launched more than a dozen missiles at US military sites in Iraq. There is no official word yet on the number of casualties and injured.
The attacks were in retaliation for the killing of top Iranian general Qassem Suleimani, who US forces killed in a strike last week.
Donald Trump has said little about the attacks so far, tweeting “All is good!” and indicating that he would make a statement in the morning.
The Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif said that his country has taken and “concluded” what he believed to be “measures in self-defense”, indicating that the attacks were over, for now.
The FAA issued restrictions on flying over Iran and Iraq.
2020 presidential candidates stated support for Americans overseas and a desire to deescalate as news of the attack trickled in.
British forces are on standby to respond to as the crisis escalates. The Australian prime minister confirmed that Australian defense and diplomatic staff in the country were now safe.
Iranian’s Fars news agency reported that a jet bound for Ukraine crashed in Iran shortly after taking off from Tehran, possibly due to technical issues. There’s no further information available at this time.
Here’s a map of all the flights moving out of the airspace over Iran, Iraq and the Gulf.
The FAA issued restrictions on flying over Iraq and Iran just over an hour ago.
The Australian prime minister has confirmed that no Australians were hurt in the strikes. There’s no official word yet on US casualties. Unconfirmed reports indicate that some Iraqi nationals may have been hurt or killed.
The president has tweeted after hours of silence. “Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good!” he said, adding that he will be making a statement tomorrow morning.
The White House has released Trump’s schedule for tomorrow, which looks very thin. He has an intelligence briefing at 2:15 ET, but apparently has nothing else scheduled for the day.