Trump: Iran ‘standing down’ after missile strikes

US President Donald Trump says Iran “appears to be standing down” after it targeted air bases housing US forces in Iraq.

Mr Trump said no US or Iraqi lives were lost in the attacks, and the bases suffered only minimal damage.

The attacks on the Irbil and Al Asad bases came early on Wednesday morning local time.

Iran said they were a retaliation for the assassination of top Iranian General Qasem Soleimani last week.

The killing in a US drone attack was a major escalation in already deteriorating relations between Iran and the US.

Mr Trump said the US would immediately impose additional financial and economic sanctions on Iran, which would remain until it “changed its behaviour”.

The US president has previously threatened military action against Iran if it targeted US personnel and bases, but on this occasion he stopped short of this.