As it happened: Missiles fired at US forces in Iraq
Read our main story here; a briefing on US-Iran relations here; a backgrounder on the targeted bases here; a Reality Check on international law here; and analysis on if there's more to come from Iran here.
The Boeing-737, which crashed after taking off from Tehran, had more than 170 people onboard.
Vasyl Kyrylych, an official at the Ukrainian foreign ministry, tells the Interfax-Ukraine news agency: "According to information which is being specified, the passengers on the flight and the crew died."
Iraq military: 22 missiles fired in total
Iraq's military says 22 missiles were launched in total.
Two of the 17 missiles targeting Al Asad did not go off,
it said in a statement.
The five on Irbil all targeted coalition
headquarters.
Who was Qasem Soleimani?
Recap: Who was Qasem Soleimani, whose killing by the US sparked the latest crisis?
Video content
Video caption: Qasem Soleimani: Who was Iran's 'rock star' general?Qasem Soleimani: Who was Iran's 'rock star' general?
President Rouhani will address nation
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will deliver a
speech to the nation, Iranian state television said on Wednesday - but it did not give a timing.
'We will not see a war', says UAE
"We will not see a war," says UAE energy minister Suhail al-Mazrouei, via Reuters.
"This is definitely an
escalation between the United States, which is an ally, and
Iran, which is a neighbour, and the last thing we want is more
tension in the Middle East."
What are US newspapers saying about the attacks?
Dramatic language dominates American online coverage of the Iranian missile strikes.
The LA Times says "long-simmering tensions between Washington and Tehran erupted into fiery explosions and fears of all-out war" when the strikes were launched - while the Politico website suggests it's "perhaps the biggest international crisis to test Trump yet".
The New York Times suggests the raids were not entirely unexpected, as "reports from American intelligence agencies of an imminent attack from Iran had intensified" on Tuesday.
In the British media, the Times reports that up to five RAF Chinook helicopters are likely to be dispatched to Iraq within days, joining four that are stationed in the northern city of Irbil.
The paper says the aircraft could be used to remove some of the 1,400 UK military and civilian personnel currently in the country supporting the fight against the Islamic State group.
"It appears that Iran
wants to draw a line under its retaliation for the assassination of General Soleimani," our Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen says in his Radio 4 report, referencing tweets from Iran's foreign minister.
"We do not seek escalation or war," Javad Zarif tweeted in English after the attacks.
An anonymous official speaking to USA Today says troops stationed at one of the bases targeted - Al Asad - had warning of the incoming missiles, so could scramble for cover.
“The early warning system worked,” the official tells the paper.
No British casualties in missile attacks - MoD
The UK Ministry of Defence says all British service personnel in Iraq have been accounted for and there are no British casualties following the missile attacks.
There are around 400 UK troops in Iraq.
What's happening in Iraq?
Video content
Video caption: This footage, reportedly of the missile attack, was shown on Iranian state TVThis footage, reportedly of the missile attack, was shown on Iranian state TV
Here is what's happened in the last few hours:
At least two airbases housing US troops in Iraq have been hit by ballistic missiles from Iran
Iranian state TV said the attack was retaliation for the killing of Iran's top military commander Qasem Soleimani in a drone strike ordered by US President Donald Trump
It is still unclear if there have been any casualties
The Federal Aviation Administration issued flight restrictions banning US civil aviation operators from flying over Iran, Iraq, the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman
The UK government has put the Royal Navy and military helicopters on standby in the region
A Ukrainian Boeing-737 with 180 people onboard has crashed in Iran, according to local media. It's unclear whether the incident is linked to the Iran-US confrontation
What have the US and Iran said?
Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif tweeted that the attack was self-defence and denied seeking to escalate the situation into war
President Trump has tweeted that "all is well". He said they had not yet assessed possible casualties and said he would make a statement in the morning, US time
Just hours before Iran launched its rockets, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said they were expecting retaliation for the killing of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani.
“I think we should expect that they will retaliate in some way, shape or form, either through their proxies - as they’ve been doing now for how many years - and / or by their own hand,” Esper told reporters on Tuesday.
“And so we take this one step at a time. We’re prepared for any contingency.”
Canada confirms its personnel are 'safe and accounted for'
Canada's chief of defence staff has confirmed its deployed personnel are safe and accounted for following the missile attacks:
Al Asad, one of the bases targeted in Iran's attack, is so vast that after the US invasion, there were cinemas, swimming pools, fast food restaurants, and - not one - but two internal bus routes.
It was built in the 1980s for the Iraqi military, in desert around 100 miles west of Baghdad.
But after the US invasion in 2003, it became one of the biggest bases for American troops - and was quickly transformed.
"It's right in the middle of the desert, and surrounded on all sides by scrublands and desert and rocks," Oliver Poole reported for the BBC in 2006.
"As you emerge into the American section, you come across much better roads... in many ways they've tried to recreate the set-up of a modern US suburban town."
The facilities were so impressive, some US troops even called it "Camp Cupcake".
A Ukrainian aircraft belonging to Ukraine International Airlines crashed just after take-off from Iran's Imam Khomeini airport in Tehran, said the Fars state news agency.
Preliminary reports suggest that the plane was en route to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.
There is no indication that the incident is linked to the Iran-US confrontation.
The US Federal Aviation Agency issued an order earlier this evening barring all US civil aviation operators from flying over Iran, Iraq, and the waters of the nearby Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
Rescue teams have been sent to the area, near the airport, where the aircraft crashed.
"The plane is on fire but we have sent crews ... and we may be able to save some passengers," Pirhossein Koulivand, head of Iran's emergency services, told state television, according to Reuters news agency.
A Boeing spokesman said the company was aware of the reports and is "gathering more information".
One of the president's sons has been talking on Fox News about how his father might react to Iran's latest attacks.
His comments have been echoed by several other conservative figures.
Charlie Kirk, president of the conservative student movement Turning Point USA wrote on Twitter that "the Trump Doctrine is the most pragmatic foreign policy in decades".
Former Trump administration official Sebastian Gorka wrote simply: "Iran started it. @realDonaldTrump will finish it."
Here's what we know about its capabilities on the battlefield:
- Its army is more than half a million strong
- That includes 150,000 in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)
- The IRGC was set up 40 years ago to defend the Islamic system in Iran
- It has become a major military, political and economic force in its own right
- The Quds Force, which was led by General Soleimani, conducts secret operations abroad for the IRGC and reports directly to the Supreme Leader of Iran
- Iran's missile capabilities are a key part of its military prowess
Live Reporting
Alice Cuddy, Matt Cannon and Holly Honderich
All times stated are UK
BreakingIran's attack 'reckless and dangerous' - Raab
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab says the UK condemns Iran's attacks on Iraqi military bases that were hosting UK, US, and other coalition forces.
He says he is "concerned" by reports of casualties and the use of ballistic missiles.
“We urge Iran not to repeat these reckless and dangerous attacks, and instead to pursue urgent de-escalation," he says.
“A war in the Middle East would only benefit Daesh [Islamic State] and other terrorist groups.”
No survivors from Ukrainian passenger plane crash - Kyiv
In the other big story from the region, Ukraine says there are no survivors from the crash of a Ukrainian passenger plane in Iran.
The Boeing-737, which crashed after taking off from Tehran, had more than 170 people onboard.
Vasyl Kyrylych, an official at the Ukrainian foreign ministry, tells the Interfax-Ukraine news agency: "According to information which is being specified, the passengers on the flight and the crew died."
Iraq military: 22 missiles fired in total
Iraq's military says 22 missiles were launched in total.
Two of the 17 missiles targeting Al Asad did not go off, it said in a statement.
The five on Irbil all targeted coalition headquarters.
Who was Qasem Soleimani?
Recap: Who was Qasem Soleimani, whose killing by the US sparked the latest crisis?
Video content
President Rouhani will address nation
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will deliver a speech to the nation, Iranian state television said on Wednesday - but it did not give a timing.
'We will not see a war', says UAE
"We will not see a war," says UAE energy minister Suhail al-Mazrouei, via Reuters.
"This is definitely an escalation between the United States, which is an ally, and Iran, which is a neighbour, and the last thing we want is more tension in the Middle East."
What are US newspapers saying about the attacks?
Dramatic language dominates American online coverage of the Iranian missile strikes.
The LA Times says "long-simmering tensions between Washington and Tehran erupted into fiery explosions and fears of all-out war" when the strikes were launched - while the Politico website suggests it's "perhaps the biggest international crisis to test Trump yet".
The New York Times suggests the raids were not entirely unexpected, as "reports from American intelligence agencies of an imminent attack from Iran had intensified" on Tuesday.
In the British media, the Times reports that up to five RAF Chinook helicopters are likely to be dispatched to Iraq within days, joining four that are stationed in the northern city of Irbil.
The paper says the aircraft could be used to remove some of the 1,400 UK military and civilian personnel currently in the country supporting the fight against the Islamic State group.
Breaking'No Iraqi casualties'
Reuters
From the Reuters news agency: the Iraqi military says there were no Iraqi casualties in the Iranian attacks.
Is Iran drawing a line under the confrontation?
Jeremy Bowen
BBC Middle East editor
"It appears that Iran wants to draw a line under its retaliation for the assassination of General Soleimani," our Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen says in his Radio 4 report, referencing tweets from Iran's foreign minister.
"We do not seek escalation or war," Javad Zarif tweeted in English after the attacks.
Iran's embassy in China reacts...
From the BBC's China correspondent:
Troops 'had advance warning of attack' - US media
An anonymous official speaking to USA Today says troops stationed at one of the bases targeted - Al Asad - had warning of the incoming missiles, so could scramble for cover.
“The early warning system worked,” the official tells the paper.
No British casualties in missile attacks - MoD
The UK Ministry of Defence says all British service personnel in Iraq have been accounted for and there are no British casualties following the missile attacks.
There are around 400 UK troops in Iraq.
What's happening in Iraq?
Video content
Here is what's happened in the last few hours:
What have the US and Iran said?
What should I read to get up to speed?
The US expected Iranian retaliation
Just hours before Iran launched its rockets, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said they were expecting retaliation for the killing of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani.
“I think we should expect that they will retaliate in some way, shape or form, either through their proxies - as they’ve been doing now for how many years - and / or by their own hand,” Esper told reporters on Tuesday.
“And so we take this one step at a time. We’re prepared for any contingency.”
Canada confirms its personnel are 'safe and accounted for'
Canada's chief of defence staff has confirmed its deployed personnel are safe and accounted for following the missile attacks:
The targeted US base known as Camp Cupcake
Al Asad, one of the bases targeted in Iran's attack, is so vast that after the US invasion, there were cinemas, swimming pools, fast food restaurants, and - not one - but two internal bus routes.
It was built in the 1980s for the Iraqi military, in desert around 100 miles west of Baghdad.
But after the US invasion in 2003, it became one of the biggest bases for American troops - and was quickly transformed.
"It's right in the middle of the desert, and surrounded on all sides by scrublands and desert and rocks," Oliver Poole reported for the BBC in 2006.
"As you emerge into the American section, you come across much better roads... in many ways they've tried to recreate the set-up of a modern US suburban town."
The facilities were so impressive, some US troops even called it "Camp Cupcake".
Read our piece in full here.
More on the Iran plane crash
A Ukrainian aircraft belonging to Ukraine International Airlines crashed just after take-off from Iran's Imam Khomeini airport in Tehran, said the Fars state news agency.
Preliminary reports suggest that the plane was en route to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.
There is no indication that the incident is linked to the Iran-US confrontation.
The US Federal Aviation Agency issued an order earlier this evening barring all US civil aviation operators from flying over Iran, Iraq, and the waters of the nearby Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
Rescue teams have been sent to the area, near the airport, where the aircraft crashed.
"The plane is on fire but we have sent crews ... and we may be able to save some passengers," Pirhossein Koulivand, head of Iran's emergency services, told state television, according to Reuters news agency.
A Boeing spokesman said the company was aware of the reports and is "gathering more information".
Get updates on the Ukrainian passenger plane here.
President's supporters rally around Trump
One of the president's sons has been talking on Fox News about how his father might react to Iran's latest attacks.
His comments have been echoed by several other conservative figures.
Charlie Kirk, president of the conservative student movement Turning Point USA wrote on Twitter that "the Trump Doctrine is the most pragmatic foreign policy in decades".
Former Trump administration official Sebastian Gorka wrote simply: "Iran started it. @realDonaldTrump will finish it."
How strong is Iran's military?
Here's what we know about its capabilities on the battlefield:
- Its army is more than half a million strong
- That includes 150,000 in the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)
- The IRGC was set up 40 years ago to defend the Islamic system in Iran
- It has become a major military, political and economic force in its own right
- The Quds Force, which was led by General Soleimani, conducts secret operations abroad for the IRGC and reports directly to the Supreme Leader of Iran
- Iran's missile capabilities are a key part of its military prowess
Read more on the strength of the Iranian military
BreakingUkrainian passenger plane crashes in Iran
There's another Iran story breaking right now.
A Ukrainian plane has crashed near Tehran, with 180 people on board, according to local media.
Follow along here for updates on the breaking story.