On Wednesday, President Donald Trump declared new economic sanctions against Iran. The announcement took place just hours after Iranian-launched missiles hit two U.S. bases in Iraq.
On the launched attacks by Iran, President Trump in his first tweet that was assured the public that “All is well!”
In his first tweet since the attacks on military bases in Iraq, President Trump assured the public that "All is well!" https://t.co/JJHm4AhTQa pic.twitter.com/szyqI6Xu14
— CBS News (@CBSNews) January 8, 2020
“All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq,” Mr. Trump wrote. “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.”
He also condemned Iran’s action but did not call for a military response, saying instead, “The United States is ready to embrace peace with all who seek it.
The growth of military actions in the middle of the two nations comes days after a drone strike that killed Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, one of Iran’s top military figures. The attack on Wednesday was launched in order to take revenge against the killing by the United States of Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who was the top Iranian military leader. As per the Department of Defense and several media reports, ballistic missiles were used in the attack.
About the attack, the attack was held in Ain al-Assad airbase, which is located in Iraq’s western Anbar province as well as a base in Irbil in Iraq’s semiautonomous Kurdish region was attacked, the Pentagon confirmed.
Pentagon report also states that the bases were attacked with ballistic missiles. As per the Associated Press, the attack included a series of surface to surface missiles.
But the killing of Qassem Soleimani was not the only factors that increased the tension between these two nations, here are some of the recent events that led to Wednesday’s missile strikes by Iran:
December 27
U.S. contractor was killed as well as two U.S. servicemen were injured in a rocket attack against a military base in Kirkuk, Iraq.
After that, the United States claimed the attack was carried out by an Iranian-backed militia named Kataib Hezbollah, a militia that Soleimani allocated with as a proxy for Iran.
December 29
Trump ordered a missile strike against Kataib Hezbollah forces in Iraq as well as Syrian territory. In that strike, there were at least 25 militia fighters who were killed.
December 31
The U.S. Embassy gates were breached in Baghdad by Kataib Hezbollah. Their demand was to make U.S. forces leave the nation.
The intelligence team receives reports that Soleimani, who was the leader of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps’ elite Quds Force, was planning an attack on Americans, after which Trump on Friday immediately ordered a drone strike at the Baghdad airport, that targeted Soleimani and killed him in that attack.
For Iranians Soleimani was the icon since the Islamic Revolution have been stern-faced clergy, General Soleimani extensively signified a figure of national resilience in the face of four decades of US pressure.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on the other hand, said: “severe revenge awaits the criminals” behind the attack.
Promising and declaring the “severe revenge,” Iran launched ballistic missiles on Tuesday on two U.S. bases in Iraq. No Americans were injured in the attacks.
On Wednesday morning at the White House, Trump declared more severe economic sanctions against Iran but at the same time did not threaten military retaliation.
U.S.-Iranian Relationship History From Past Two Years
8th May 2018: Trump states that the U.S. is pulling out of the JCPOA agreement.
5th November 2018: The U.S. announces it is going to re-impose the sanctions that are lifted under the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
8th April 2019: The U.S. calls Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization.
June 2019: Last year, in the month of June, the U.S. launches two cyberattacks on Iran.
20th June 2019: Iran in June 2019, shoots down a U.S. military drone.
24th June 2019: Trump declares new sanctions against Iran for the claim of drone downing.
1st July 2019: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif declares that Iran’s stockpiles of augmented low-grade uranium have exceeded the 300-kilogram limit set in the JCPOA deal.
