US President Donald Trump expected to address 'situation' with Iran

WASHINGTON: President of the United States, Donald Trump plans to speak on the Iran crisis at 11 a.m. Wednesday, the morning after Iran attacked two military bases in Iraq, the White House announced.

There were no casualties reported in the missile attack that Iran described as retaliation for last week’s U.S. attack that killed a top Iranian general, Qasem Soleimani.

American President’s address on the Iran-America crisis is expected to air at 9 pm Pakistan Standard Time (PST).

Trump has vowed to strike back if Iran attacked U.S. troops, but he seemed to take a more conciliatory tone in a social media post late Tuesday.

The tweet read: “All is well!” Trump tweeted. “Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well-equipped military anywhere in the world, by far!”

All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2020

Iran has claimed that at least 80 people were killed in ballistic missiles targeting US military bases in Iraq, said state-run TV.

Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on US forces in Iraq in the early hours of Wednesday in retaliation for the US drone strike on an Iranian commander whose killing has raised fears of a wider war in the Middle East.

Tehran fired more than a dozen ballistic missiles from Iranian territory against at least two Iraqi military bases hosting US-led coalition personnel at about 1.30 a.m. local time, the US military said on Tuesday.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps confirmed they fired the missiles to retaliate for last week’s killing of Qassem Soleimani, according to a statement on state TV.

The statement advised the United States to withdraw its troops from the region to prevent more deaths, state TV said.