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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
(32 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 EU commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, has commented on tensions between Iran and the US. She said “the use of weapons must stop now to give space for dialogue”.
The Twitter account for Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, has issued the following statements:
The Guardian’s international correspondent Michael Safi has this analysis of last night’s events.The Guardian’s international correspondent Michael Safi has this analysis of last night’s events.
The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has warned that his country would strike back hard against anyone who attacked it, as he reiterated his support for the US killing of the Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani last week.The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has warned that his country would strike back hard against anyone who attacked it, as he reiterated his support for the US killing of the Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani last week.
“Whoever tries to attack us will be dealt the strongest blow,” Netanyahu said, according to Reuters. He said Israel “stands completely” behind Trump’s decision and that the president should be congratulated for acting “swiftly, boldly and resolutely”.“Whoever tries to attack us will be dealt the strongest blow,” Netanyahu said, according to Reuters. He said Israel “stands completely” behind Trump’s decision and that the president should be congratulated for acting “swiftly, boldly and resolutely”.
The US ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, has said preliminary reports on the Iranian strikes were “positive”.The US ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, has said preliminary reports on the Iranian strikes were “positive”.
“Initial assessments are positive and we pray those reports are true. Our military is by far the strongest in the world and our cause is just,” Friedman, a former Trump bankruptcy lawyer, said at an event hosted by the rightwing Kohelet Policy Forum in Jerusalem.“Initial assessments are positive and we pray those reports are true. Our military is by far the strongest in the world and our cause is just,” Friedman, a former Trump bankruptcy lawyer, said at an event hosted by the rightwing Kohelet Policy Forum in Jerusalem.
The Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, has told the chief of the Australian defence force “to take whatever actions are necessary” to protect Australian troops and diplomats in Iraq after Iran began bombing allied military bases. Morrison said all defence and diplomatic staff in the country were safe, reports Guardian Australia’s Ben Doherty.The Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, has told the chief of the Australian defence force “to take whatever actions are necessary” to protect Australian troops and diplomats in Iraq after Iran began bombing allied military bases. Morrison said all defence and diplomatic staff in the country were safe, reports Guardian Australia’s Ben Doherty.
David Smith, the Guardian’s Washington bureau chief, has written about how the US clash with Iran echoes the march into the Iraq war.David Smith, the Guardian’s Washington bureau chief, has written about how the US clash with Iran echoes the march into the Iraq war.
Ukraine’s foreign minister has released more information about the people onboard the plane bound for Kiev that crashed minutes after taking off from Tehran’s main international airport. Among the plane’s passengers were 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians, 11 Ukrainians (two passengers and nine crew), 10 Swedish people, four people from Afghanistan, three from Germany and three from the UK.Ukraine’s foreign minister has released more information about the people onboard the plane bound for Kiev that crashed minutes after taking off from Tehran’s main international airport. Among the plane’s passengers were 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians, 11 Ukrainians (two passengers and nine crew), 10 Swedish people, four people from Afghanistan, three from Germany and three from the UK.
Ukraine’s national security council has confirmed that 11 Ukrainian citizens died in the crash of an Ukrainian airliner in Iran, including nine crew members.Ukraine’s national security council has confirmed that 11 Ukrainian citizens died in the crash of an Ukrainian airliner in Iran, including nine crew members.
In a separate statement, reported by Reuters, Ukraine International Airlines said it was suspending flights to Tehran indefinitely and that the crashed plane had its last scheduled maintenance on Monday. The airline said it was doing everything possible to find out the causes of the crash and that it was providing all possible assistance to the relatives of those killed.In a separate statement, reported by Reuters, Ukraine International Airlines said it was suspending flights to Tehran indefinitely and that the crashed plane had its last scheduled maintenance on Monday. The airline said it was doing everything possible to find out the causes of the crash and that it was providing all possible assistance to the relatives of those killed.
The Conservative MP Tom Tugenhat, who was chairman of the defence committee during the last UK parliament, has been speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. He said the Iran attack on US military bases in Iraq was “not hugely surprising”.The Conservative MP Tom Tugenhat, who was chairman of the defence committee during the last UK parliament, has been speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. He said the Iran attack on US military bases in Iraq was “not hugely surprising”.
He said it would be “extremely welcome” if the action marked the end of the tensions and both sides could “get back to talking”.He said it would be “extremely welcome” if the action marked the end of the tensions and both sides could “get back to talking”.
The Ukrainian embassy to Iran has said 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.The Ukrainian embassy to Iran has said 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 on to elucidating the evils of the US presence in the region.
Here’s the full statement from the UK foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, responding to the Iranian missile strikes against US troops in Iraq:
Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, is speaking 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.”
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.
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.
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”.
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.