The Pentagon said that Iran had aimed to kill American forces when it launched more than a dozen missiles at two bases in Iraq.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said Wednesday that Iran intended to “kill personnel” but air defense systems allowed for “a little bit of early warning” before the missiles struck.
“I believe based on what I saw and what I know is that they were intended to cause structural damage, destroy vehicles and equipment and aircraft, and to kill personnel,” Milley said.
Milley said the lack of casualties was not because Iran wasn’t trying.
“In my estimation from what I know now, I think it has more to do with the defensive techniques that our forces used as opposed to intent,” the general added.
Early Wednesday morning Iran fired 16 short-range ballistic missiles at the Al Asad air base in Anbar province and a base in Irbil. There were no casualties in the attack, but some infrastructure was damaged.
The attack was a direct retaliation for the U.S. operation that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike last week. President Trump announced Wednesday that Iran "appears to be standing down" after the attack.
