Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has addressed his nation tonight with a fiery message, after a series of Iran-led airstrikes targeting two air bases in Iraq with US troops.
In his address, Khamenei said the US may have "cut off" top general Qassem Soleimani's arm but Iran would respond by "cutting off your leg" in the region, Iranian media reports.
"We slapped them [Americans] on the face last night," Khamenei said.
Soleimani was killed last week in a US strike on Iraq, and he was buried at his hometown shortly after the retaliation attack today.
The Iraqi military has issued a statement saying a total of 22 missiles targeted the coalition bases, including two that didn't detonate.
The statement said 17 struck the Al Asad airbase and five hit a base in Irbil, northern Iraq.
Previously, US military officials told local media there were 15 missiles fired and four failed to hit their targets, but 10 struck the Al Asad airbase and one hit the Irbil base.
Today Khamenei praised the slain general, calling him a "great, brave warrior" and saying with his death, "a revolution is alive".
"The corrupt presence of the US in the region should come to an end," he says.
US President Donald Trump has yet to formally address the situation, with a statement expected in the morning (local time).
However in a tweet today, he said "all is well!" and that casualty and damage assessments are ongoing.
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called the attacks "proportionate measures in self-defence", saying: "We do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression."


















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