Trump warns of a surprise attack on his country's forces in Iraq and threatens Iran

US President Donald Trump today warned Iran and its allies in Iraq not to pay a "heavy price" if they attacked American forces deployed in Iraq, and the Washington Post had reported a US official a few days ago that a US Hezbollah operative was seeking to attack American military or diplomatic interests in Iraq.

"Based on information, Iran or its allies are planning a surprise attack targeting American forces or installations in Iraq," Trump said in a tweet on a Twitter account. "If that happens, Iran will pay a very high price."

And the Washington Post had reported three days ago that an American official had indications that the Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades were seeking to attack American military or diplomatic interests in Iraq, and that they had become more aggressive in that.

American plans
The American newspaper, citing two sources, reported that on March 11, the Trump administration discussed a list of targets, including sites linked to the Revolutionary Guards in Iran and Syria, but the proposal was rejected for fear that it would lead to a further escalation.

On the other hand, the Iranian Fars News Agency quoted Maj. Gen. Yahya Safavi, senior adviser to the Iranian guide, warning America of the consequences of its "provocative actions in Iraq."

And Major General Safavi added in his article that the recent moves in the American bases are part of the redeployment in order to reduce the potential damages, referring to the American bases in Iraq.

The United States and Iran are locked in a fierce struggle for influence in Iraq, where Tehran has the support of armed actors and factions, while Washington maintains close relations with the Iraqi government and has multiple bases in the country as part of the international campaign to combat the Islamic State.

About 7500 American soldiers are deployed in Iraq as part of a US-led coalition to help Iraqi forces counter ISIS, but this number has declined significantly this month.

The coalition is working to return trainers to their country in a precautionary measure against the background of the emerging Corona virus, and is working to evacuate bases it occupies in Iraq.

Military bases including American forces and foreign embassies, especially the American diplomatic mission in Baghdad, have been subjected to more than twenty missile strikes since late October.

The attacks on the Americans in Iraq increased after the assassination of the Iranian Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, deputy chief of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization, in a US raid near Baghdad airport on January 3.