TEHRAN, Iran (AP) Iran has struck back at the United States for killing a top Revolutionary Guard commander, calling it revenge for the U.S. killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
U.S. officials say Iran fired a series of ballistic missiles at two military bases in Iraq housing American troops. There were no immediate reports of U.S. casualties. It’s a major escalation between the two longtime foes, and there are worries the two nations are now close to war. But there are some indications that there would not be further retaliation on either side, at least in the short term.
In Kuwait, the state news agency was hacked and a false report was published on U.S. troops withdrawal.
A Ukrainian passenger jet carrying 176 people crashed just minutes after taking off from the Iranian capital’s main airport, turning farmland on the outskirts of Tehran into fields of flaming debris and killing all on board. The crash of Ukraine International Airlines came hours after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on Iraqi bases housing U.S. soldiers, but both Ukrainian and Iranian officials said they suspected a mechanical issue brought down the Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Ukraine’s foreign minister says Iranian, Canadian, Ukrainian, Swedish, Afghan, British and German nationals were among those killed in Wednesday’s crash.
Commercial airlines are rerouting flights crossing the Middle East to avoid possible danger amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran. Australian carrier Qantas says it’s altering its London to Perth, Australia, routes to avoid Iran andIraq airspace until further notice. Malaysia Airlines says that “due to recent events,” its planes would avoid Iranian airspace.
Singapore Airlines also says its flights to Europe would avoid Iran. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has barred American pilots and carriers from flying in areas of Iraqi, Iranian and some Persian Gulf airspace. The Russian aviation agency also recommended all Russian airlines to avoid flying over Iran, Iraq, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
