TEHRAN, Iran (CBS News) — Iran has launched “more than a dozen” ballistic missiles against two Iraqi military bases housing U.S. forces, the Pentagon said Tuesday. Iran said the attack was in retaliation to the airstrike that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, one of the most powerful figures in the Islamic Republic.
In a statement, the Pentagon said the missiles were launched from Iran and targeted the Al-Assad and Irbil military bases. U.S. officials are still conducting initial damage assessments, the statement said. It’s unclear if there are any casualties.
Pelosi and Schumer notified of strike
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was informed of the rocket attack when a note was brought in during a House Democratic steering meeting. Pelosi informed the assembled members and said they should pray for the American men and women in the military, according to Representative Debbie Dingell.
Pelosi’s spokesman also tweeted that she returned a call she reportedly received from Vice President Mike Pence during the meeting but did not take at that moment.
“.@SpeakerPelosi returned a phone call to @VP at 6:34 p.m. tonight after her required presiding over the House at 6:30 p.m,” her spokesman, Drew Hammill, tweeted. “The Vice President briefed the Speaker on the Iranian attacks on facilities housing U.S. troops in Iraq.”
A spokesperson for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the senator received a call from Pence at 6:15 p.m., during which he was briefed on the strikes.
Trump says he likes “to obey the law” when asked about Iranian cultural sites
When asked whether he was still considering targeting Iranian cultural sites at a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Tuesday, President Trump said he liked to “obey the law.”
“They’re allowed to kill our people, they’re allowed to main our people, they’re allowed to blow up everything that we have, and there’s nothing that stops them. And we are, according to various laws, supposed to be very careful with their cultural heritage. And you know what? If that’s what the law is, I like to obey the law,” Mr. Trump said.
“But think of it — they kill our people, they blow up our people, and then we have to be very gentle with their cultural institutions. But I’m ok with it. It’s ok with me,” he added. “I will say this: If Iran does anything that they shouldn’t be doing, they’re going to be suffering the consequences, and very strongly.”
Mr. Trump’s comments come after he appeared to threaten Iran’s cultural sites in a tweet on Saturday. The director general of the United Nations’ cultural agency, UNESCO, said Monday that both Tehran and Washington had signed a 1972 convention obliging states not to undertake “any deliberate measures which might damage directly or indirectly the cultural and natural heritage” of other states.
