Al Jazeera News :
Iran has fired more than a dozen missiles at two Iraqi military bases hosting US troops, the Pentagon confirmed.
The missiles targeted the Ain al-Assad base in Anbar province and a facility near Erbil’s airport in northern Iraq early on Wednesday morning; they were fired in retaliation for the killing of top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani by the US, Iran said.
US President Donald Trump said he would make a statement on the attacks on Wednesday morning in Washington, DC. As tension increases, governments around the world are calling for a return to diplomacy and considering plans to withdraw their citizens.
Below are reactions from around the world.
Germany
German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said his country “rejects this aggression in the sharpest possible terms.”
She told German public broadcaster ARD that “it’s now particularly up to the Iranians not to engage in further escalation.’
None of the German troops stationed in Iraq were injured.
UAE
The United Arab Emirates Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said it is essential that the region pulls back from current “troubling” tensions.
“De-escalation is both wise and necessary. A political path towards stability must follow,” Gargash said on Twitter.
Poland
Poland’s defence minister said polish troops stationed in Iraq were not hurt during Wednesday’s missile attacks.
“None of the Polish soldiers in Iraq were hurt in rocket attacks on Al-Asad and Erbil bases. We are in constant contact with the commander of the Polish Military Contingent in Iraq,” Mariusz Blaszczak wrote on Twitter.
United Kingdom
Britain condemned Iranian missile attacks on military bases in Iraq that hosted US-led coalition forces including British personnel.
“We condemn this attack on Iraqi military bases hosting Coalition – including British – forces,” British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said.
