President Trump in an address Wednesday said no Americans were harmed in Iran's missile strike against Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops and that Iran "appears to be standing down."
Trump spoke at the White House on Wednesday morning after Iran launched more than a dozen ballistic missiles against two Iraq bases where U.S. troops are housed, which followed Trump's authorization of a drone strike killing Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani last week. The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps called the attack "fierce revenge," while Iran's foreign minister tweeted that "we do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression."
In his address, Trump said "Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world." He also said "the American people should be extremely grateful and happy" that "no Americans were harmed" in the attack and that "only minimal damage was sustained" at the bases.
Some in the Trump administration were reportedly of the belief on Wednesday that Iran intentionally missed Americans in the strikes, looking to send a message but avoid U.S. casualties. Trump on Tuesday had threatened that "if Iran does anything that they shouldn't be doing, they're going to be suffering the consequences, and very strongly," but in the aftermath of the strikes, he tweeted that "all is well!"
Trump also said he will impose new "powerful" economic sanctions on Iran, offering no further details but saying they will "remain until Iran changes its behavior." Brendan Morrow