TEHRAN – More than 80 U.S. forces have reportedly been killed in Iranian missile strikes on U.S. targets in Iraq on Wednesday morning, the national TV quoted a source close to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) as saying.

“According to the accurate reports of our sources in the field, at least 80 American troops were killed and some 200 others were wounded, who were immediately transferred out of the airbase by helicopters,” said an informed source at the IRGC.

In early hours of Wednesday, the IRGC fired missiles at the U.S. Ain al-Assad airbase in Anbar province in western Iraq.  The missile attacks were in retaliation to the U.S. assassination of IRGC Quds Force chief Lt. Gen. Qassem Soleimani on January in Baghdad.

The Ain al-Assad airbase was a strategic site for the U.S. which was used to support drone attacks.

“Despite the fact that the Americans had been on high alert, their air defense was unable to respond,” he said.

Senior political and military officials had promised to take harsh revenge on the U.S. for the death of General Soleimani.

The source added that Iran has prepared plans to destroy 104 U.S. targets if the White House makes another mistake.

“As many as 104 critical U.S.-held points in the region have been identified, which would be attacked by the first mistake.” 

In an early reaction to the missile strikes, President Trump said “all is well”!

“All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good!” Trump wrote in a post on Twitter.

AFM/PA