The Iranian regime’s ballistic missile attack on U.S. troops in Iraq was the most brazen assault on America since the 1979 seizing of the embassy in Tehran. Therefore, President Donald Trump was challenged by the greatest test of his presidency. A few days ago, a U.S. drone targeted a convey nearly Baghdad International Airport that caused the death of the chief of the Revolutionary Guards Quds Force (IRGC-QF) Qassem Soleimani.
It is worth noting that Soleimani was notoriously renowned as a war criminal whose hands were stained with the blood of hundreds of thousands of people in Iran, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, etc. Many people in these countries rejoiced the elimination of the IRGC-QF chief.
Protesters in Nasseriya, a Shia-majority city in Iraq, jokingly bury a garbage bin and hit it with shoes (sign of humiliation) to mark Soleimani’s death.
Militias established by Solemani are implicated in the murder of hundreds of peaceful Iraqi protesters in recent months. pic.twitter.com/9RXkzxchkt— Elizabeth Tsurkov (@Elizrael) January 3, 2020
Iraqis — Iraqis — dancing in the street for freedom; thankful that General Soleimani is no more. pic.twitter.com/huFcae3ap4
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) January 3, 2020
Indeed, these are #Iraqi people celebrating elimination of Solimani, the murderer of thousands of people from #Iran protestors o #Iraq, #Lebanon and Yemen! pic.twitter.com/purDzJZYPz
— Nasrin Saifi (@NassrinSaifi) January 3, 2020
However, both Tehran and Washington previously announced their dislike about beginning any conflict, but the mullahs pushed the countries closer to war. Now the globe is waiting for the civilized world’s response to the aggressive move of the first state-sponsor of terrorism, who today became the starter of warmongering. The U.S. President offered no immediate indication and only assured his people that “All is well!” on Twitter.
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
Later, President Trump delivered remarks addressing the nation following the recent missile attacks on the U.S. military bases in Iraq. ”Peace and stability cannot prevail in the Middle East as long as Iran continues its malign activities… Iran will not be allowed to go forward with its malign campaigns… I will ask NATO to become more involved,” he said. The U.S. president also emphasized that the days of tolerating Iran’s destructive and destabilizing behavior as the leading sponsor of terrorism are over. He also reasoned that American strength both military and economic are the best deterrent. The White House account on Twitter that was airing the president’s speech tweeted, “The United States will immediately impose additional sanctions on the Iranian regime.”
The United States will immediately impose additional sanctions on the Iranian regime. pic.twitter.com/Y47COReXr2
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 8, 2020
Senior U.S. Senator Marco Rubio issued a warning about the disinformation activities and spreading false information on social media. He portrayed the creation of confusion and division as the goal of coordinated informational warfare regarding the Iranian regime’s missile attack. Senator Rubio also acknowledged that the U.S. was prepared for the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC)’s attack and mentioned the range of options that the U.S. president has to respond to.
Be aware that we are experiencing a stunning volume of troll & disinformation activity on twitter.
We are witnessing coordinated informational warfare regarding #Iranattack spreading false information designed to create confusion & division.
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) January 8, 2020
US was prepared for the attack launched tonight by the #IRGC @potus has a broad range of options available to respond
We will soon have a fuller assessment of this attack
Thereafter I am very confident he will pursue an appropriate response & act at a time of our choosing
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) January 8, 2020
Also, it is said that Iran’s missiles intentionally missed areas populated by Americans during attacks. The IRGC later claimed responsibility of attacks by issuing an announcement and explained the assault has taken place in retaliation for the “unfair assassination” of Qassem Soleimani.
Subsequently, the state-run Iran Students’ News Agency (ISNA) declared, “1,500 Americans were in Ain al-Assad; the base was completely destroyed.” ISNA quoted Mehdi Mohammadi, analyst of security-political affairs, like tweeting, “According to footages of drones and satellites, Ain al-Assad base is completely destroyed. More than 1,500 Americans were there. The casualties are unprecedented and certain. The United States has yet no true estimation. Here is the place that the U.S. was assured about its safety and since Friday (January 3) gathered its sensitive properties there.”
Also, the state-run Tasnim news agency, affiliated to the IRGC-QF, published, “Taking ‘harsh revenge’ has begun. Launching IRGC’s ballistic missiles at the American base ‘Ain al-Assad.’” Tasnim described the operation was done in retaliation to the assassination of Soleimani. On the other hand, deputy commander of IRGC’s operations Abbas Nilfroushan told Tasnim, “Our missiles exactly landed on target.”
Observers believe that Iranian authorities pursued two purposes by recent attacks on U.S. bases. First, they would brag about their “regional power” curbing more defection among their forces. Second, they deeply comply with U.S. redlines about the lives of Americans.
Notably, on December 27, while the Iranian regime saw its authority in Iraq is on the brink of collapse, it orchestrated a missile attack against the Iraqi base hosting the Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) in Kirkuk, Iraq. The mullahs attempted to divert the Iraqi protests against their malign influence in this country and lead the argument against the U.S. presence in Iraq rather than Iran’s meddling. Kata’ib Hezbollah (KH), a well-known Iranian proxy in Iraq, launched missile attacks that resulted in the death of an American civilian and several injuries. The regime factually triggered a chain of confrontation that followed by U.S. airstrikes on five bases of KH in Syria and Iraq. Afterward, Iran’s mercenaries in Iraq, including the head of KH Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the head of Badr organization Hadi al-Ameri, etc. , were ordered to rush to the U.S. embassy in Baghdad and they provoked their followers to damage and torch some parts of the embassy. Then, Qassem Soleimani arrived at Baghdad to brief Iran’s allies for more operations against the U.S. in this country. The presence of Soleimani had always coincided with terror attacks and killing innocent people. The U.S. targeted the most dangerous commander of Iran’s terrorist apparatus to prevent the loss of more lives.
In such circumstances, upcoming developments show how Khamenei’s expectations were an illusion. In fact, he calculated that the U.S. won’t respond to his regime’s aggression due to the upcoming presidential election campaigns. In this respect, he heralded his forces that the U.S. avoids engaging a new war [against Tehran] in the region, and also, we don’t want a war. His supporters boasted by quoting Khamenei’s remark, “No war, No negotiation.” However, it was proven that the regime’s supreme leader is not only an expert in economic issues, as he said after the gas price hikes in the last November, he also suffers from not having reliable insight about the standards of the 21st century!