Iran feuert Rakete auf US-Militärbasis in Bagdad

n retaliation for the killing of its top general Ghassem Soleimani, Iran attacked two military bases in Iraq that were also used by US soldiers. The U.S. Department of Defense said Wednesday night that the Al Asad airbase in central Iraq and a base in the northern city of Erbil were affected. German Bundeswehr soldiers are also stationed in Erbil. A spokesman for the operational command said at the request of the German press agency that the soldiers are doing well.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard announced that "Operation Martyr Soleimani" had destroyed "Al Asad Air Force Base", which was attacked with dozens of missiles. The attack "Operation Martyr Soleimani" on the "base occupied by the Americans was" a complete success in every respect ". The attack was carried out with ballistic surface-to-surface missiles.

"We're working on initial damage assessments," the Pentagon said. The US military initially did not provide any information on possible victims. "These bases have been on high alert for signs of planned attacks by the Iranian regime on our troops and interests in the region," Washington said. US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday before the attacks: "If Iran does something it shouldn't do, they will experience the consequences. And very strongly."

Around 5,000 US soldiers are stationed in Iraq, leading an international military alliance to fight the terrorist militia Islamic State (IS). The US bases in Iraq have recently been attacked more often by technically simpler missiles from local Shiite militias supported by Iran. However, a direct attack from Iran marks a new level of escalation in the conflict between the United States and Iran.

Soleimani had been killed by US drones in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Friday night. Washington then said the head of the Al-Kuds units had planned to attack US citizens. Soleimani was the main representative of the Iranian military abroad. He was considered the architect of Iran's military strategy in neighboring countries. In Iran he is now worshiped as a martyr.