Britain condemns Iran's 'reckless and dangerous' attacks after US bases are struck by Iranian missiles

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Britain condemns Iran's 'reckless and dangerous' attacks after US bases are struck by Iranian missiles
Dominic Raab
  • Britain condemned Iran's "reckless and dangerous" attacks on two airbases in Iraq where UK and US troops are stationed.
  • The attacks were a response to the killing of Qassem Soleimani, the powerful Iranian military commander, in a drone strike ordered by US President Donald Trump.
  • The move appears to be a calculated attempt by Iran to placate its hardliners while avoiding actions that would cause the crisis to spiral out of control.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The UK's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab on Wednesday condemned Iran's "reckless and dangerous" missile attacks on two military bases in Iraq where British and American soldiers are stationed, as tensions in the Middle East ratcheted up further.

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In a statement, Raab said: "We condemn this attack on Iraqi military bases hosting Coalition - including British - forces. We are concerned by reports of casualties and use of ballistic missiles.

"We urge Iran not to repeat these reckless and dangerous attacks, and instead to pursue urgent de-escalation. A war in the Middle East would only benefit Daesh and other terrorist groups."

Raab said the strikes on camps in Erbil in northern Iraq and Ain al-Asad, 200 miles south, had not claimed any British casualties. The US and Iraq have also said they did not suffer any casualties.

Boris Johnson Trump

Iran fired at least a dozen ballistic missiles against the two airbases in Iraq last night, in response to the killing of Qassem Soleimani, the powerful Iranian military commander, in a drone strike at Baghdad airport ordered on Friday by Donald Trump.

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The US says the general, who was responsible for planning Iran's covert and military operations across the Middle East, was plotting terrorist attacks.

The attack on US and UK airbases appears to be a calculated attempt by Iran to placate its hardliners while avoiding actions that would cause the crisis to spiral out of control.

Trump has threatened a "disproportionate" response if any American personnel are killed in retribution for Soleimani's killing.

Boris Johnson will finally face MPs as he prepares for Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday.

He has not been seen in public since returning from a holiday to the Caribbean island of Mustique, which he refused to cut short to address the crisis.

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