Iraq Conflict

The US will slash troop levels in Afghanistan and Iraq to their lowest levels in nearly 20 years of war after President Donald Trump pledged to end conflicts abroad, the Pentagon announced Tuesday.

The US military launched air strikes against a pro-Iranian group in Iraq following the deaths of two Americans and a Briton in a rocket attack, US military officials told AFP on Thursday.

The US military is preparing to report a more than 50 per cent jump in the number of cases of traumatic brain injury stemming from Iran's missile attack on a base in Iraq last month, US officials told Reuters on Monday.

Iran on Sunday offered its full support for new Iraqi prime minister Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi and reiterated its backing for the government's demand for U.S. forces to leave the country.

Iran's president said Thursday dialogue with the world remained "possible" despite high tensions with the United States, and stressed that Tehran was working daily "to prevent military confrontation or war".

Iran's civil aviation chief denied Friday that a missile downed a Ukrainian airliner which crashed killing all 176 on board, dismissing claims of a catastrophic mistake by Tehran's air defences.

A senior Iranian commander said Iran's missile attacks on US targets in Iraq did not aim to kill American soldiers but sought to damage Washington's "military machine" and were the start of a series of attacks across the region. Iran, Amirali Hajizadeh,

Two rockets crashed late Wednesday into the Iraqi capital's Green Zone, the high-security enclave where foreign embassies including the US mission are based, security sources told AFP.

Iran is believed to have deliberately avoided U.S. military casualties during retaliatory missile strikes on bases housing American troops in Iraq, following the U.S. killing of an Iranian general, according to U.S. and European government sources familiar with intelligence assessments.

Iran's supreme leader said a "slap in the face" was delivered to the United States, when the Islamic republic fired missiles at US troop bases in Iraq on Wednesday.

Iranian state television said on Wednesday that at least 80 "American terrorists" were killed in attacks involving 15 missiles Tehran launched on U.S. targets in Iraq, adding that none of the missiles were intercepted.

Iran launched missiles at US-led forces in Iraq on Wednesday in retaliation for the US drone strike on an Iranian commander whose killing last week stoked fears of a new Middle East war.

The US military on Monday told the Iraqi government American troops were preparing to pull out of the country but a top US general in Washington said the message was sent by "mistake".

Pressure against the US in Iraq ramped up Sunday, as rockets hit near the American embassy and parliament demanded the ouster of thousands of US troops over the killing of a top Iranian general.

Two rockets hit near the US embassy in Iraq's capital Sunday, witnesses told AFP, shortly after the deadline from a hardline pro-Iran faction for local troops to get away from US forces.

The US will slash troop levels in Afghanistan and Iraq to their lowest levels in nearly 20 years of war after President Donald Trump pledged to end conflicts abroad, the Pentagon announced Tuesday.

The US military launched air strikes against a pro-Iranian group in Iraq following the deaths of two Americans and a Briton in a rocket attack, US military officials told AFP on Thursday.

The US military is preparing to report a more than 50 per cent jump in the number of cases of traumatic brain injury stemming from Iran's missile attack on a base in Iraq last month, US officials told Reuters on Monday.

Iran on Sunday offered its full support for new Iraqi prime minister Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi and reiterated its backing for the government's demand for U.S. forces to leave the country.

Iran's president said Thursday dialogue with the world remained "possible" despite high tensions with the United States, and stressed that Tehran was working daily "to prevent military confrontation or war".

Iran's civil aviation chief denied Friday that a missile downed a Ukrainian airliner which crashed killing all 176 on board, dismissing claims of a catastrophic mistake by Tehran's air defences.

A senior Iranian commander said Iran's missile attacks on US targets in Iraq did not aim to kill American soldiers but sought to damage Washington's "military machine" and were the start of a series of attacks across the region. Iran, Amirali Hajizadeh,

Two rockets crashed late Wednesday into the Iraqi capital's Green Zone, the high-security enclave where foreign embassies including the US mission are based, security sources told AFP.

Iran is believed to have deliberately avoided U.S. military casualties during retaliatory missile strikes on bases housing American troops in Iraq, following the U.S. killing of an Iranian general, according to U.S. and European government sources familiar with intelligence assessments.

Iran's supreme leader said a "slap in the face" was delivered to the United States, when the Islamic republic fired missiles at US troop bases in Iraq on Wednesday.

Iranian state television said on Wednesday that at least 80 "American terrorists" were killed in attacks involving 15 missiles Tehran launched on U.S. targets in Iraq, adding that none of the missiles were intercepted.

Iran launched missiles at US-led forces in Iraq on Wednesday in retaliation for the US drone strike on an Iranian commander whose killing last week stoked fears of a new Middle East war.

The US military on Monday told the Iraqi government American troops were preparing to pull out of the country but a top US general in Washington said the message was sent by "mistake".

Pressure against the US in Iraq ramped up Sunday, as rockets hit near the American embassy and parliament demanded the ouster of thousands of US troops over the killing of a top Iranian general.

Two rockets hit near the US embassy in Iraq's capital Sunday, witnesses told AFP, shortly after the deadline from a hardline pro-Iran faction for local troops to get away from US forces.