Americans must either withdraw voluntarily, or be expelled by force: Hezbollah parl. bloc

The parliamentary bloc of the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement says the mass funeral ceremonies for Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis across Iraqi and Iranian cities sent a clear message to the Americans that they have no option but to leave the Middle East.

The Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc said in a statement on Thursday that the processions put across a strong message that US military forces should voluntarily withdraw from the region before being driven out by force.

Massive crowds bid farewell to hero general in hometown funeral

Huge crowds of mourners flood the streets of Iran’s southeastern city of Kerman, the hometown of Lieutenant General Soleimani, to attend a final funeral for the top defense strategist, who was assassinated by the US.

The statement then lauded the IRGC for firing a salvo of ballistic missiles at the US military in southwestern Iraq in retaliation for the assassination of General Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), stressing that the strike was the first slap in the face of Americans.

The Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc further noted that the Lebanese nation must be involved in the fight against US’s hegemony and aggression, emphasizing that the Israeli regime and the United States have devised plots against Lebanon’s security, stability and natural resources.

IRGC targets US airbases in Iraq in response to assassination of General Soleimani

Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has targeted US airbases in Iraq.

It also called on Arab nations and governments to learn from the recent regional developments to muster up enough courage in confronting world aggressors and oppressors.

Early on Wednesday, the IRGC targeted the US air base of Ain al-Assad in Anbar province in western Iraq after launching a wave of attacks to retaliate the US assassination of General Soleimani.

Al-Hakim stresses need for withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq

Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammad Ali al-Hakim has stressed the need for US and other foreign troops to leave Iraq.

“Tens of surface-to-surface missiles” were fired at the strategic air base and the attack was later confirmed by the US officials. 

The IRGC has called for a complete withdrawal of US troops from the Arab country, asserting that it would not differentiate between the US and Israel in retaliating against the assassination of the Iranian national hero.

“We warn US allies providing bases for the [American] terrorist army… that any country serving as the origin of bellicose and aggressive attacks in any form against the Islamic Republic of Iran will be targeted,” read the IRGC statement on Wednesday.

The IRGC added that it would release more details about the strike.

Reactions pour in after Iran targeted US bases with ballistic missiles

Reactions continue to pour in after Iran’s Armed Forces launched missile strikes on American bases in Iraq in retaliation for the US assassination of prominent Iranian commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani.

The strike came as no surprise since Iran had vowed to take a “harsh revenge” in the wake of the US terror attack that led to the martyrdom of General Soleimani, the second-in-command of Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), and their companions near Baghdad International Airport on January 3.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei later said Iran’s missile attack on US bases in Iraq was just “a slap.”

Ayatollah Khamenei: Iran's retaliation against US only 'a slap'

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has said Iran’s early morning retaliation against US assassination of Gen. Qassem Soleimani was just “a slap”.

"The talk of revenge and such debates are a different issue. For now, a slap was delivered on their face last night," Ayatollah Khamenei said in remarks broadcast live on the national television on Wednesday.

"What is important about confrontation is that the military action as such is not sufficient. What is important is that the seditious American presence in the region must end," he said to chants of "Death to America" by an audience in Tehran.

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