Trump warns Iran over Iraq rocket attacks

“Some friendly health advice to Iran: If one American is killed, I will hold Iran responsible,” tweeted Trump.

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News

President Donald Trump threatened Iran with military action on Tuesday, after three rockets struck the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad, Iraq on Sunday.

One rocket was diverted by the C-RAM air defense system, but the two additional rockets damaged a building. No casualties were reported.

The rocket attack on Sunday is the latest in a string of such attacks over recent months. Pro-Iranian militias are said to be behind the launches.

“Our embassy in Baghdad got hit Sunday by several rockets. Three rockets failed to launch. Guess where they were from: IRAN. Now we hear chatter of additional attacks against Americans in Iraq,” he tweeted.

“Some friendly health advice to Iran: If one American is killed, I will hold Iran responsible. Think it over.”

Our embassy in Baghdad got hit Sunday by several rockets. Three rockets failed to launch. Guess where they were from: IRAN. Now we hear chatter of additional attacks against Americans in Iraq… pic.twitter.com/0OCL6IFp5M

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2020

Iran denied involvement in the rocket attack. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif responded to Trump’s tweet, writing, “Putting your own citizens at risk abroad won’t divert attention from catastrophic failures at home.”

Zarif then attached Trump’s tweets from 2011 to 2013, in which Trump predicted that then-President Obama would start a war with Iran in order to win the election.

Putting your own citizens at risk abroad won’t divert attention from catastrophic failures at home.

In your own words @realDonaldTrump: pic.twitter.com/kbtL8GWLHm

— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) December 24, 2020

The heated Twitter exchange comes on the heels of rising tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Navy announced that an American missile-guided submarine and two warships had passed through the Strait of Hormuz, in what appeared to be a demonstration of the U.S.’s military strength.

The Strait of Hormuz links Iran to the Arabian Peninsula, and the statement by the U.S. Navy implies that American ships passed through Iran’s territorial waters.

A senior U.S. official told Reuters that Trump was presented with a range of options on “deterring attacks on U.S. military or diplomatic personnel in Iraq.”

The official did not elaborate on the possible military aspects of the options.

BaghdadIranTrump IranUS Iran