President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that no Americans were harmed in the attack by Iran on US bases in Iraq as he offered to embrace peace along with the Iranian leadership, in a significant move to de-escalate spiralling tensions in the Middle East.
His remarks came hours after Iran launched over a dozen ballistic missiles in a pre-dawn attack on Wednesday targeting at least two bases where US military and coalition forces' are stationed in Iraq, which Tehran said was a "slap in the face" of America.
"We suffered no casualties. All of our soldiers are safe and only minimal damage was sustained at our military bases," Trump said in an address to the nation from the White House Grand Foyer.
According to the Iranian state TV, the attacks were in revenge for the killing of the commander of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards, General Qasem Soleimani, in a US drone strike on Friday, which was ordered by Trump.
The Iranian state television claimed that "at least 80 terrorist US soldiers" were killed in the strikes. Some 5,000 US soldiers are in Iraq as part of the international coalition against the IS terror group.
"No Americans were harmed in last night's attack by the Iranian regime," Trump said as he described Gen Soleimani as a "ruthless terrorist."
"By removing Soleimani we have sent a powerful message to terrorists. If you value your own life you will not threaten the lives of our people," he said. "Soleimani's hands were drenched in both American and Iranian blood."
Trump also asked NATO "to become much more involved in the Middle East process."
President Trump criticised the Barack Obama-era Iran nuclear deal as "very defective" and "foolish."
Asserting that America has achieved energy independence, Trump said US doesn't "need Middle East oil."