War Iran-United States Military Crisis of 2020 - US Baghdad embassy under siege, rocket fire in US Baghdad green zone, Ukrainian Airlines flight 752 crash, and more!

January 10th:
Exclusive: Informants in Iraq, Syria helped U.S. kill Iran's Soleimani - sources (archive)(post)
Iraqi Shia cleric whose militia killed American troops says crisis is over following Iran strike and Trump speech (archive)(post)
Iraqi PM tells US to decide mechanism for troop withdrawal (archive)(post)
Mike Pence says Congress might 'compromise sources and methods' if fully briefed on the Soleimani strike (archive)(post)
Unidentified planes hit Iraqi militiamen in Syria, killing 8 (archive)(post)
Iraq: The Master Of Mayhem Meets A Missile (archive)(post)
Eliminating Qasem Soleimani was Donald Trump’s Middle East farewell letter (archive)(post)
Iran uses BULLDOZERS to clear debris from plane crash site while accusing US of ‘big lie’ that they shot it down (archive)(post)
Swiss Back Channel Helped Defuse U.S.-Iran Crisis (post)

January 11th:
UKRAINIAN AIRCRAFT WAS BROUGHT DOWN IN IRAN DUE TO 'HUMAN ERROR' (archive)(post)
Iran minister says 'human error' caused by 'US adventurism' led to deadly crash of Ukrainian jetliner (archive)(post)
Ukrainian aircraft was brought down in Iran due to 'human error' (archive)(post)
Trump, at Ohio rally, says Democrats would have leaked Soleimani attack plans (archive)(post)
The Atlantic's David Frum blames Trump for downing of plane in Iran, deaths of 176 (archive)(post)
Associated Press changes ‘shockingly bad’ headline about Soleimani, Ukrainian plane crash after backlash (archive)(post)
GOP Rep. Doug Collins apologizes for saying Democrats are 'in love with terrorists' (archive)(post)
Iran demands West 'show findings' as new video reveals aircraft was struck before fiery crash (archive)(post)
Warren town hall interrupted by angry protester accusing her of ‘siding with terrorists’ (archive)(post)
Trump administration announces new sanctions on Iran (archive)(post)
Prepare For the Worst From Iran Cyber Attacks, As DHS Issues Warning: Experts (archive)(post)
Trump tells Fox News' Laura Ingraham 'four embassies' were targeted in imminent threat from Iran (archive)(post)
Trump tweets support for Iranian protesters as they demand Khamenei quit (archive)(post)
Trump warns Iran against ‘another massacre’ as protests flare over downed jet (archive)(post)

January 12th:
Trump tweet in Farsi 'the most liked Persian tweet' in history of Twitter (archive)(post)
Iraq warned to keep US troops or risk financial blow-WSJ (archive)(post)
Iran arrests UK ambassador in what Britain calls ‘flagrant violation of international law’ (archive)(post)

January 13th:
Trump authorized Soleimani's killing 7 months ago, with conditions (archive)(post)

edit: This is a WIP. All links are posted in the order they appear in the thread, not in chronological order of their publication.


---Original OP before the merge---
Iraqi supporters of Iran-backed militia attack US Embassy
https://apnews.com/75228a8a607a44863b57021ac33264dc (http://archive.vn/ljm9Y)

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA12 minutes ago

BAGHDAD (AP) — Dozens of angry Iraqi Shiite militia supporters broke into the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad on Tuesday after smashing a main door and setting fire to a reception area, prompting tear gas and sounds of gunfire.

An Associated Press reporter at the scene saw flames rising from inside the compound and at least three U.S. soldiers on the roof of the main building inside embassy. It was not clear what caused the fire at the reception area near the parking lot of the compound. A man on a loudspeaker urged the mob not to enter the compound, saying: “The message was delivered.”

The embassy attack followed deadly U.S. airstrikes on Sunday that killed 25 fighters of the Iran-backed militia in Iraq, the Kataeb Hezbollah. The U.S. military said it was in retaliation for last week’s killing of an American contractor in a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base that it had blamed on the militia.

Dozens of protesters marched inside the compound after smashing the gate used by cars to enter the embassy. The protesters, many in militia uniform, stopped in a corridor after about 5 meters (16 feet), and were only about 200 meters away from the main building. Half a dozen U.S. soldiers were seen on the roof of the main building, their guns were pointed at the protesters.

Smoke from the tear gas rose in the area, and at least three of the protesters appeared to have difficulties breathing. It wasn’t immediately known whether the embassy staff had remained inside the main building.

The protesters hanged a poster on the wall: “America is an aggressor.”

Shouting “Down, Down USA,” the crowd tried to push inside the embassy grounds, hurling water and stones over its walls. They raised yellow militia flags and taunted the embassy’s security staff who remained behind the glass windows in the gates’ reception area. They sprayed graffiti on the wall and windows in red in support of the Kataeb Hezbollah militia: “Closed in the name of the resistance.”

Hundreds of angry protesters, some in militia uniforms, set up tents outside the embassy. As tempers rose, the mob set fire to three trailers used by security guards along the embassy wall.

No one was immediately reported hurt in the rampage and security staff had withdrawn to inside the embassy earlier, soon after protesters gathered outside.

The U.S. attack — the largest targeting an Iraqi state-sanctioned militia in recent years — and the subsequent calls by the militia for retaliation, represent a new escalation in the proxy war between the U.S. and Iran playing out in the Middle East.

Tuesday’s attempted embassy storming took place after mourners and supporters held funerals for the militia fighters killed in a Baghdad neighborhood, after which they marched on to the heavily fortified Green Zone and kept walking till they reached the sprawling U.S. Embassy there.

AP journalists then saw the crowd as they tried to scale the walls of the embassy, in what appeared to be an attempt to storm it, shouting “Down, down USA!” and “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.”

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Sunday’s strikes send the message that the U.S. will not tolerate actions by Iran that jeopardize American lives.

The Iranian-backed Iraqi militia had vowed Monday to retaliate for the U.S. military strikes. The attack and vows for revenge raised concerns of new attacks that could threaten American interests in the region.

The U.S. attack also outraged both the militias and the Iraqi government, which said it will reconsider its relationship with the U.S.-led coalition — the first time it has said it will do so since an agreement was struck to keep some U.S. troops in the country. It called the attack a “flagrant violation” of its sovereignty.

In a partly televised meeting Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi told Cabinet members that he had tried to stop the U.S. operation “but there was insistence” from American officials.

The U.S. military said “precision defensive strikes” were conducted against five sites of Kataeb Hezbollah, or Hezbollah Brigades in Iraq and Syria. The group, which is a separate force from the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, operates under the umbrella of the state-sanctioned militias known collectively as the Popular Mobilization Forces. Many of them are supported by Iran.

.

 

[Spicey McHaggis]

Can we just do a decapitation strike on Iran (blast the top 5 or 10 leaders), and let them sort it out. Massively authoritarian countries always seem to be unable to function for a while after the top men get taken out, may be the easiest solution.

 

[Freddy Freaker]

Look, I just do whatever my Jewish overlords tell me to do, okay? I just want my foreskin back.

Foreskin seller.....

I am going into battle for my Greatest Ally.

And I need your strongest foreskins

 

[Spawn]

This has the potential to become a huge regional shitshow. If the Russian's get involved this could lead to WW3. I mean hell if we bomb the Iranian nuclear sites those reactors will pretty much become huge dirty bombs and kill a shit load of people and cause untold ecological damage. All shitpositng aside. If we really go for this thing a whole lot of innocent people are gonna die and damnit they don't need to. Not to fulfill some sort of dick measuring contest between the Persians and the Americans.

 

[BONE_Buddy]

James LaPorta on Twitter

“Update: Senior Defense Department official tells @Newsweek Zero US casualties at the moment. News came in at 8:28 p.m. EST #IranAttacks”

twitter.com

Conflict News on Twitter

“IRAN: Hezbollah affiliated media release infographic of Qiam missile used in attack against base in Iraq tonight.”

twitter.com

 

[Superman93]

Ethan Klapper on Twitter

“FAA just out with three NOTAMs banning US operations (US air carriers, US-registered aircraft, licensed airmen) over Iran, Iraq, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman”

twitter.com

Maybe I read this documents in this tweet wrong and someone please correct me but it seems there's going to be a lot of things flying around in that airspace in a quick minute.

 

[TwinkLover6969]

Maybe I read this documents in this tweet wrong and someone please correct me but it seems there's going to be a lot of things flying around in that airspace in a quick minute.

They are stopping civilian aircrafts from entering

 

[pull over dat ass too fat]

Why would that be sad?

You won't profit. Defense contractors like Lockheed Martin and such will. The politicians who are lobbied by them will. You will end up paying taxes to fund it. Did you forget the script already?

 

[Your Weird Fetish]

I remember watching this when it happened:

Will we see the reboot tonight?

Nah there will be a big show of force with what's already deployed or heading there, some stern finger wagging, and it will draw down because I don't think we actually lost anything here. I may be horribly wrong though.

 

[Kornheiser]

Maybe I read this documents in this tweet wrong and someone please correct me but it seems there's going to be a lot of things flying around in that airspace in a quick minute.

They don’t put those notices out on a short notice so yes.

 

[BONE_Buddy]

Maybe I read this documents in this tweet wrong and someone please correct me but it seems there's going to be a lot of things flying around in that airspace in a quick minute.

It bans US airliners from using a particular airspace.

 

[Ledian]

Did we live in the same early-2000s? The "war on terror" was very much fueled by 9/11.

I hardly consider that a "war" and even then, after defeating the Taliban (not even capturing Osama for fuck's sake), they then set out nation building. That did not work out and we should not have been there for so fucking long nor went in the first place, 9/11 or not. Afghanistan is a graveyard for empires.

Why would that be sad?

I hate war-profiteering, especially by the military-industrial complex. Something like this is something they'll cream all over.

 

[Huitzilopochtli]

At this point it looks like no Iranian missiles came anywhere close to their intended targets. Not sure on collateral damage. But they are shooting at Kurdish areas who hate Iran. So expect fun either way.

Not unexpected. Guidance systems, even on ballistic missile systems using 50's tech are hard.

Why would either the Chinese or Russian’s help Iran in this instance. Trump blew away an Iranian dickhead on Iraqi soil because he engineered an attack on a US embassy. Neither Putin nor Xi will see any problem with Trump’s actions in this regard. If Iran is stupid enough to send it’s outdated Air For e outside of Iranian air space they won’t care what happens to it. Putin would even House a vodka if Trump starts splatting Iranian oil infrastructure. Although Xi might take issue as he wants the oil. But even that might be acceptable to Xi if it keeps Trump entertained blowing the shit out of Iranian targets, and less militarily focused on the South China Sea.

Not to mention that none of this probably survives a cost benefit analysis. The US has fucked with both countries economically. Having them dump a shitload of cash into a conflict against the country driving them to the poor house probably doesn't end well.

Given all of this, I'm wondering if we'll see a series of precision strikes, or wake up to a "midnight raid" tomorrow where the Ayatollah was forced to detonate himself and his son because a DEVGRU operator yelled "Chopper, sick balls!"

 

[HOMO FOR LIFE]

You won't profit. Defense contractors like Lockheed Martin and such will. The politicians who are lobbied by them will. You will end up paying taxes to fund it. Did you forget the script already?

My stock options says otherwise

 

[ForgedBlades]

What the fuck is the "FAA"?

Federal Aviation Administration

 

[Your Weird Fetish]

You won't profit. Defense contractors like Lockheed Martin and such will. The politicians who are lobbied by them will. You will end up paying taxes to fund it. Did you forget the script already?

Jokes on you I've got defense contractors in my family.

Seriously though they profit massively in peace time too. This won't change much for them.

 

[Cherryboyhunter]

https://mobile.twitter.com/aliarouzi/status/1214716105396228096?s=20
If this isn't bullshit look like things are about to kick off. If they are really this stupid their gonna get curb stomped.

 

[BONE_Buddy]

Maggie Haberman on Twitter

“.@pressec confirms no address.”

twitter.com

Hunter Walker on Twitter

“.@PressSec tells me POTUS is not planning to speak tonight”

twitter.com

BNO News on Twitter

“BREAKING: U.S. FAA bans all civilian flights over Iran, Iraq, the Persian Gulf, and the Gulf of Oman "due to heightened military activities" and the "potential for miscalculation or mis-identification"”

twitter.com

Doge (Stay 6 ft from me) on Twitter

“Singapore Airlines rerouting all flights out of Iran airspace (@AlHadath)”

twitter.com

 

[Observotron]

This has the potential to become a huge regional shitshow. If the Russian's get involved this could lead to WW3. I mean hell if we bomb the Iranian nuclear sites those reactors will pretty much become huge dirty bombs and kill a shit load of people and cause untold ecological damage. All shitpositng aside. If we really go for this thing a whole lot of innocent people are gonna die and damnit they don't need to. Not to fulfill some sort of dick measuring contest between the Persians and the Americans.

It's a serious fear, but like I said before, I don't think this is going to be WW3. Firstly, despite people saying they want to Glass Iran, we never will because of it's oil and resources. Second, Nuclear Holocaust is bad for business. Third, I don't think Russia or China would get dragged in to this, alliance or not. Even if they do I can't see them sending more than some ground units, drones, and missiles.

 

[RodgerDodger]

Dubai is innocent. They don't even threat their neighbours.

But they are clearly agents of the Great Satan with their alcohol, entertainment districts, amusement parks, shopping malls and other signs of a healthy economy and reasonably free people. Muslims are not supposed to lead enjoyable happy lives. Doing so might start giving Iranian citizens inconvenient ideas.

 

[TwinkLover6969]

Nah there will be a big show of force with what's already deployed or heading there, some stern finger wagging, and it will draw down because I don't think we actually lost anything here. I may be horribly wrong though.

Theres no way it doesnt escalate in some fashion. They launched missiles at US forces.