WASHINGTON _ President Donald Trump will address the nation Wednesday morning about Iran's overnight missile attacks at U.S. forces posted at bases in Iraq, as the world waits for a response from an unpredictable commander-in-chief that should indicate whether the sudden conflict will spiral further toward war.
U.S. officials have not confirmed any casualties from the 15 ballistic missiles fired from Iran, and there were some indications that the two sides could back away from the brink without further escalation.
Over the last five days, Trump repeatedly threatened to unleash a devastating attack on Iran if they conducted any military response to the U.S. drone strike that targeted and killed Maj. Gen. Qassim Soleimani, a top Iranian commander. His death infuriated Iran's leaders.
But after suggesting a major military conflict in an election year, Trump may be reconsidering whether to follow through on his own rhetoric, especially given that Iran's missile launch appears to have been calibrated to send a message of strength by hitting specific military targets without killing U.S. forces.
He plans to speak from the White House at 11 a.m. Eastern time.
If he opts out of further escalation, the crisis may ease but the long-term effects on foreign policy are less clear given the president's repeated vows to punish Iran. Trump has urged Iran's leaders to negotiate with him in the past, and he may offer that olive branch again on Wednesday.
Trump met Tuesday night at the White House with his national security team, including Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper, Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Although a presidential address Tuesday evening was discussed privately, Trump's only message to the nation came in a late-night tweet, which was notably less bellicose _ upbeat even _ than his previous threats and warnings to Iran. It did not include any words in capital letters, a sign of relative restraint for him.
"All is well" Trump tweeted. "Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far!"
Iran's foreign minister, Javad Zarif, also signaled that his country's leadership was ready to stand down after the missile strikes, which were launched shortly before 2 a.m. Wednesday morning in Iran.
"Iran took & concluded proportionate measures in self-defense under Article 51 of UN Charter targeting base from which cowardly armed attack against our citizens & senior officials were launched," Zarif tweeted. "We do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression."
Iraq's prime minister, Adil Abdul-Mahdi, said Wednesday that Iran warned Baghdad about the attack roughly 80 minutes before it began and that "the strike would be limited to places where the U.S. Army is present in Iraq without specifying (the strikes') targets." The U.S. also notified the Iraqis when the missile strike was taking place, the prime minister said.
Barham Salih, Iraq's president, issued a statement that "calls on all parties to exercise self-restraint and wisdom."
Trump has made a tougher approach with Iran a cornerstone of his foreign policy. But he has few fixed policies, and may not be bound by his own threat several days ago to hit Iran "VERY FAST AND VERY HARD" if it retaliated for Soleimani's death, nor by his fierce criticism of President Barack Obama for failing to enforce his own "red line" with Syria in 2012.
Trump has boasted about ordering the drone strike against Soleimani, whom the U.S. considered a terrorist for his role supporting Shiite militias fighting U.S. forces during the occupation of Iraq.
Even if the crisis does not lead to all-out war, the tit-for-tat attacks have destabilized the already volatile region.
After the drone strike on Soleimani, Iran announced it would no longer abide by restrictions on uranium enrichment imposed by the 2015 nuclear deal that Iran agreed to with the U.S. and five other world powers.
The future of the U.S. military presence in Iraq is now an open question, and a draw-down of forces, something Trump has long sought, could create a vacuum filled by Islamic State or Iran-backed Shiite militias at a time when anti-American sentiment is inflamed. And there remains the possibility of tit-for-tat cyber-attacks in lieu of military escalation.
Further, the prospect of face-to-face talks between the U.S. and Iran about curtailing Tehran's nuclear capabilities appears dim. Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018 and imposed severe sanctions on Iran in an effort, so far unsuccessful, to force Iran back to the negotiating table.
