United States: We're not looking for war with Iran

Shafaq News/ The barrage of rockets launched at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad Sunday was the largest attack on the capital’s Green Zone since 2010, numbering 21 missiles, General Kenneth McKenzie, the U.S. commander for the Middle East said.

"My assessment is we are in a very good position and we'll be prepared for anything the Iranians or their proxies acting for them might choose to do," General McKenzie added.

"I do believe we remain in a period of heightened risk, I would just emphasize this key point, and we’re not looking to escalate ourselves. We're not looking for war with Iran; I really want to emphasize that."

"It is my belief that Iran doesn't want a war with the United States right now," he added.

Earlier, Trump, without giving evidence, said on Twitter on Wednesday that the rockets that landed in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone on Sunday, in an attack targeting the U.S. Embassy, were from Iran and "we hear chatter of additional attacks against Americans in Iraq."

"Some friendly health advice to Iran: If one American is killed, I will hold Iran responsible. Think it over," Trump said.

The Iraqi military blamed the attack, which caused some minor damage, on an "outlaw group."

Also, US Central Command said Wednesday that the Sunday rocket attack on Baghdad's International Zone near the US embassy was "almost certainly conducted by an Iranian-backed rogue militia group."

For its part, Iran's foreign minister dismissed Trump's allegations that Iran was behind the recent rocket attack on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

"Putting your own citizens at risk abroad won't divert attention from catastrophic failures at home," Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted.