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Iran launches missile strike on US forces in Iraq - UPDATED

08 January 2020 07:04 (UTC +04:00)

On Wednesday morning, a missile strike was launched by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) striking US targets in Erbil, Iraq and the country's Ayn al-Asad Air Base, which houses US military forces. Another series of rockets was launched later, according to Iranian media reports.

Defence Department spokesman Jonathan Hoffman has confirmed that Iran launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles at US forces in Iraq.

There has been no retaliatory strike from the United States yet.

Last week, Iranian general Qasem Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike ordered by US President Donald Trump at the Baghdad International Airport. In response, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani swore that Tehran would avenge his death.

03:52

Rockets have been fired at Iraq’s al Asad airbase, which hosts U.S. forces, a U.S. official told Reuters on Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity, APA reports quoting Reuters.

The official said there was no immediate information on any damage or casualties from the attack as tensions mount with Iran following a U.S. drone strike on Friday that killed Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani