Iran may have intentionally avoided US casualties in missile attacks: Report

After US President Donald Trump announced that no American lives were lost in the attack on military bases, reports have emerged that Tehran intentionally avoided casualties. According to media reports, it is believed the attacks were carried out to deliberately miss stationed US forces to prevent escalation, simultaneously signalling Iran’s resolve to retaliate.

On January 8, Trump, in his address, said that the United States suffered no casualty and minimal damage was faced at military bases. Trump added that Americans should be grateful and happy as they were not harmed. He asserted that the US military eliminated “terrorist” Qassem Soleimani who was responsible for worst atrocities. The US President claimed that Soleimani had directed the recent attacks on US personnel in Iraq and was planning new attacks on American targets.

Read: Trump Seeks NATO's Help With Iran After Years Of Slamming Alliance

The US President emphasised that peace cannot prevail in the Middle East as long as Iran continues to foment violence, unrest, hatred, and war. “The civilized world must send a clear and unified message to the Iranian regime: Your campaign of terror, murder, mayhem will not be tolerated any longer,” said Trump. However, hours after Trump’s speech, two Katyusha rockets struck Baghdad's Green Zone again but no casualties have been reported so far. 

Trump, who has been critical of NATO, urged it to become much more involved in the Middle East process. He boasted that the United States is the number one producer of oil and natural gas in the world. “We are independent, and we do not need Middle East oil,” said the US President.

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'Slapped US last night'

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei had accused the United States of causing wars and destruction in West Asia saying its corrupt presence must be stopped. The 80-year-old religious leader said that elected governments won’t accept the presence of the US which has been involved in the destruction and the demolition of infrastructures in the region.

"They were slapped last night, but such military actions are not enough. The corruptive presence of the US in the West Asian region must be stopped," said the Supreme Leader during a televised address after Iran attacked US bases in Iraq with dozens of ballistic missiles.

Read: Iran To Hold National Mourning Over Ukrainian Plane Crash, Stampede At Soleimani's Funeral

Read: Khamenei Accuses US Of War And Destruction, Says ‘its Presence Must Be Stopped’

(With inputs from agencies)