At least 80 'American terrorists' killed in missile strikes, claims Iranian state TV

At least 80 "American terrorists" were killed in attacks on two US bases in Iraq on Wednesday, according to Iranian state media. The report also said that none of the missiles were intercepted.

Over a dozen missiles were launched in the early hours of Wednesday targeting at least two Iraqi military bases hosting US military and coalition personnel at Al-Assad and Irbil, in Iraq. Iran's Tasmin News Agency, however, said that over 35 rockets were launched by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the early hours of Wednesday.

According to a Reuters report, Iranian State TV, citing a senior Revolutionary Guards source, also said that Iran had 100 other targets planned in the region if Washington took any retaliatory measures.

The report said that US helicopters and military equipment were 'severely damaged' in the missile attacks. 

Speaking on the development, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Javad Zarif said that the country does not seek escalation or war, but will defend itself against any aggression. "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. We do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression," the minister wrote on Twitter.

The attack was in retaliation to the US drone strike that killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani outside the Baghdad airport in Iraq. The killing has raised fears of a wider war in the Middle East.