Thread by @ejmalrai

#Iran launches 'more than a dozen ballistic missiles' at #US targets in #Iraq, Pentagon confirms

I#Iran #USA
ran’s foreign minister has said the strikes have concluded and characterised them as self-defence within the boundaries of international law – not the first shots in a war.

Trump, in his first comments after the strikes, also sought to play them down.

#Iran #USA
The attacks appear to have been carefully calibrated to avoid US casualties. #US bases in #Iraq were already on high alert.

This is a first step Iran is initiating to give the go to further attacks by Iran and its allies to exhaust US forces in the Middle East.

If anyone believes there will be a de-escalation, he/she can dream about it.

#Iran buried the assassinated General #QassemSoleimani AFTER the strike as a matter of principle & a message to friends, families, allies & enemies

The beginning (not face-to-face confrontation though)

If the #US steps back and leaves #Iraq as requested by the #Iraq/i Parliament and in accordance with its agreement with the government of Baghdad (and the people), then the de-escalation is possible.

If the #US insists in staying in Iraq, US soldiers will be killed.

I said it before and repeated again:
The many #US bases around #Iran are excellent targets to Iran's missile.

Gathering most #US forces in one base, Ayn al-Assad is an excellent gift to #Iran and its allies in #Iraq to hit and kill whenever the intention is present.

To hit the #US symbolically, in its pride, and tell the US: we are not afraid of you.

The image of the US is shaking and the image of #Iran is boosting by confronting a superpower with or without casualties.

Russia and China are laughing now.

https://twitter.com/redaslt/status/1214813793626329088

The number of casualties SHOULD be small or zero. That is important to avoid a "mad reaction" from the #US. On the contrary, if there are no casualties, the US will not be in a position to hit back and swallow the fact it was confronted by #Iran and couldn't respond.

If the casualties are "80" as reported by #Iran media, Sayyed Ali Khamenei would not be giving his speech at this moment.

I am not sharing unconfirmed casualties and I'll wait for the #US to say it.

Keep in mind that this is the first time a country (#Iran) launch a missile attack on another (#USA) and declare it immediatley afterward and claim its reponsibility.

That is the real challenge.

It is not only on #USA, but there are also British soldiers at the Ayn al-Assad base in #Iraq.

#Iran was aware of it and is challenging all countries with their soldiers at the base.

And last:

This account (@ejmalrai) shall not encourage a war or fuel governments/people to it.

Go and find another one that suits you. I have covered enough wars and wish this doesn't take place.

Why the #US can't retaliate?

#Iran told @realDonaldTrump in this attack that: If you attack us, there are thousands of the US and allied forces at Ayn al-Assad base in #Iraq. All gathered in one place. All will be killed and the base destroyed if you retaliate.

Result: NO WAR.

@realDonaldTrump Remember:

This is the #US base @realDonaldTrump use to visit due to its security measures and its seiza/effective.

That is also another message from #Iran: nob place is secure in case of war.

No War.

@realDonaldTrump The #US base in Ayn al-Assad #Iraq is the base where the drones that assassinated the Iranian General #QassemSoleimani #AbuMahdialMuhandis and their companion took off to #BaghdadAirport according to Iraqi Intelligence and "ALLIES" in #Iraq.

No War.

@realDonaldTrump #Iran informed #Iraq Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi of its intention to bomb #US military bases in #Anbar and #Kurdistan before the attack.

Abdel Mahdi warned the Americans who took their precautions before the attack.

I'll write more details about this attack in my article.

@realDonaldTrump #Iran told #Iraq PM Adel Abdil Mahdi it will bomb only the part of the bases under #US control, which it did.

The bombing left no Iraqi casualties.

@realDonaldTrump The world is in the hands of @realDonaldTrump :

If he decides to retaliate to the Iranian retaliation that retaliated to #US assassination of #QassemSoleimani, I am certain the ME will go in flame, gradually.

It is time for the #US to stand down and stop its destructive policy.

@realDonaldTrump Someone in the #US administration should explain to the president what war means and what is its cost.

@realDonaldTrump All this has started when #Israel PM @netanyahu advised @realDonaldTrump to shred the nuclear deal with #Iran and Europe is spinless in replacing the unlawful US act.

That was followed by the #US assassination of an envoy, a diplomat and an #Iran and an #Iraqi Generals in #Iraq.

@realDonaldTrump @netanyahu This is why #Iran has selected Ayn al-Assad #US largest base in #Iraq.

https://twitter.com/ejmalrai/status/1214589611462270977

@realDonaldTrump @netanyahu #BreakingNews:
#Iran Foreign Minister @JZarif announced that "Iran informed #Iraq of its intention to bomb the US bases in #Iraq".

https://twitter.com/ejmalrai/status/1214853824797650944

@realDonaldTrump @netanyahu @JZarif In its attack on the #US bases in #Iraq, #Iran used for the first time modernised "Fateh 313" missiles with several warheads and anti-interception devices

@realDonaldTrump @netanyahu @JZarif #Iran used precision missiles to hit specific targets at #Iraq Ayn al-Assad #US controlled base in al-Anbar and released
satellite images of some of the Iranian missile strikes to confirm its objectives and that no US interception managed to intercept any, via @HS_Soleimani

@realDonaldTrump @netanyahu @JZarif @HS_Soleimani I received a lecture by 1 of the greatest teachers of theology in #Najaf , Sheikh Hadi al-Radi, about "how Iraqi and Muslims should be happy for #Iran, support it and pray for its victory over the #US".

This is a major change in Najaf.

Trump has achieved the unachievable.

@realDonaldTrump @netanyahu @JZarif @HS_Soleimani #BreakingNews:

Great news: @realDonaldTrump confirm no US casualties at the US bases bombed by #Iran last night.

De-escalation and Trump will stand down.

@realDonaldTrump @netanyahu @JZarif @HS_Soleimani However, he is not telling the truth, which is ok, about interception of Iranian missiles. No missile was intercepted in Ain alAssad according to #Iraq officials and eye witness.

But yeh! Trump can say what he wants. he needs to justify his non-response.

https://twitter.com/ejmalrai/status/1214947374763839492

@realDonaldTrump @netanyahu @JZarif @HS_Soleimani US President @realDonaldTrump tells #Iran he wants peace but shredded the nuclear deal in 2018 causing all this havoc and ended it, for now, by assassinating its general #QassemSoleimani.

Iran will never talk to this administration. Wait until Aprile 2020.

#Iraq

IMPORTANT
Moqtada al-Sadr advices to prepare for the battle by closing all Hashd al-Shaabi offices to avoid offering easy targets to the #US when the decision of armed resistance is decided and if the US refuses to withdraw from Iraq.