Dominic Raab, pictured in Brussels for talks with EU ministers yesterday, has condemned the missile attacks carried out by Iran in Iraq overnight on bases housing British troops

Dominic Raab today condemned Iran's missile attacks on two military bases in Iraq containing US and British troops - and urged it not to escalate the situation.

The Foreign Secretary called the strikes on camps in Erbil in northern Iraq and 200 miles south at the Ain al-Asad airbase 'reckless' and 'dangerous', adding: 'A war in the Middle East would only benefit terrorist groups.'

He also caused confusion by voicing concern at 'reports of casualties' - although the UK, US and Iraq have all said they did not suffer casualties.

Government sources suggested he had been referring to the possibility of local injuries.

The missiles were launched in retaliation for the killing of Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike ordered by Donald Trump at Baghdad airport on Friday.

The US says the notorious general was plotting terrorist attacks and it acted in self-defence.

The Iranian action appears to have been carefully calibrated to satisfy the anger of hardliners, while minimising the chances of the situation spiralling out of control. Mr Trump had threatened a 'disproportionate' response if any US personnel were killed in retribution.

In his statement this morning, Mr Raab said: 'We condemn this attack on Iraqi military bases hosting Coalition - including British - forces. We are concerned by reports of casualties and use of ballistic missiles.

'We urge Iran not to repeat these reckless and dangerous attacks, and instead to pursue urgent de-escalation. A war in the Middle East would only benefit Daesh and other terrorist groups.'

Multiple rockets were launched by Iran at Al-Asad airbase in Iraq (pictured)_ that is home to US and coalition forces, including British troops

Residents inspect a crater caused by an Iranian missile strike on the outskirts of Duhok, Iraq

Some Iranians celebrated in the streets last night as news of the missile attacks emerged

Paramilitary Popular Mobilization Forces and local tribal militias participate in the military operations of the Iraqi army Seventh Brigade near the Ain al-Asad airbase in Anbar, Iraq

Iran fired 'more than a dozen' ballistic missiles last night against two airbases in Iraq where US and coalition forces, including British troops, are based.

But Tom Tugendhat, the Tory MP who chaired the defence committee during the last parliament, voiced relief that the reprisals appeared to have been limited.

He said the Iran attack on US military bases in Iraq was 'not hugely surprising', and it would be 'extremely welcome' if both sides could now 'get back to talking'.

PM surfaces to be quizzed by MPs for the first time since the Iran crisis kicked off Boris Johnson finally surfaced to be grilled on the Iran crisis today - five days after the drone strike that killed Qassem Soleimani. Mr Johnson took PMQs in the Commons - the first time he has been seen in public since returning from his Caribbean holiday on Sunday. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace was sent to update MPs on the situation last night, And Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has been doing most media appearances on the issue since the weekend. There have been claims the government was 'caught short' by the developments over the festive period. But No10 has insisted Mr Johnson has been working with other leaders behind the scenes to defuse the crisis. Advertisement

Mr Tugendhat told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'As far as I'm aware, it is the first time Iranian ballistic missiles have been fired directly at US bases.

'That is slightly caveating it, because of course the Iranians have been firing missiles via proxy for many, many years.' He added: 'If both sides can declare victory and get back to talking, then that would be extremely welcome.'

Boris Johnson will finally face questions from MP over the crisis later as he takes his first PMQs since the election.

The premier has not been seen in public since returning from his Caribbean holiday on Sunday - and yesterday sent Defence Secretary Ben Wallace to update the Commons on the standoff.

Iran branded the UK a 'partner in crime' of the US by Iranian officials who summoned Robert Macaire, Britain's ambassador to Tehran, to the Iranian foreign ministry yesterday.

Mr Wallace told the House last night that non-essential British personnel had now been withdrawn from the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, to a base 40 miles north of the city.

Mr Wallace also told the Commons military helicopters and ships were currently 'on standby', in case British soldiers and civilians needed to be evacuated from the region.

HMS Montrose and HMS Defender will resume their duties escorting British-flagged ships through the Straits of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf.

The vital shipping lane became a flash-point for heightened US-Iran tensions when two tankers were attacked and a British-vessel was seized by Revolutionary Guard commandos last July.

Mr Wallace said the assassinated general had not been a 'friend' to peace, and added that Tehran's actions had been stoking problems in the region by coordinating proxy militias.

He repeated Washington's view that Soleimani had been plotting attacks on US targets when he was killed, adding: 'The UK has always defended the right of countries to defend themselves.'

But one Iranian diplomat claimed Britain should have condemned the killing, saying: 'The message was that we expected the British government to condemn the act of terror, and we are not happy that they did not.'

The attack, dubbed operation 'Martyr Soleimani' in Iran, came in three waves just after midnight, sources said.

The Ain al-Asad airbase in western Iraq and the Erbil base in Iraqi Kurdistan were both struck by the missiles on Tuesday at about 5.30pm (EST)

Nine Iranian rockets hit the Ain al-Asad airbase in the west of Iraq, the largest of the Iraqi military compounds where foreign troops are based

Iran swiftly claimed responsibility for the attack on two Iraqi bases and threatened 'more crushing responses' if Washington retaliated

Iran swiftly claimed responsibility for the attack, with state TV saying it had launched 'tens of missiles' on the base and promised 'more crushing responses' if the US carried out further strikes.

Iran threatened 'more crushing responses' if Washington carried out further strikes, the Islamic Republic's state media said.

It said the missiles were in response to a US strike last week that killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi military commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

The Pentagon said Iran had fired more than a dozen missiles against Ain al-Asad and another installation hosting US and coalition forces near Arbil.

It said bases hosting foreign troops had expected an attack and had been on 'high alert' for days.

Mr Trump was 'monitoring the situation closely and consulting with his national security team', according to the White House.

The attack came after pro-Tehran factions in Iraq had vowed to join forces to 'respond' to the killing of Soleimani and Muhandis last week.

Soleimani was seen as the 'godfather' of Tehran's proxy network across the region and Muhandis, one of his top advisors, was the deputy head of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi military network.

An Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting video allegedly showed rockets launched from Iran against the US military base in Ein-al Asad in Iraq

Qassem Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike at Baghdad airport on Friday. Hundreds of thousands of Iranians flooded the streets to follow his funeral procession

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace speaking in the House of Commons yesterday said Britain would do 'what it has to do' to defend itself if Iran attacked its personnel

Many factions within the Hashed, which has been incorporated into the Iraqi state, have ties to Tehran.

A hardline Hashed faction issued its fiercest threat yet to retaliate last night.

'The US Marines must immediately return to their dens to make their coffins,' said Akram al-Kaabi, head of the Harakat al-Nujaba group.

'The International Resistance Regiments have been formed in order to execute a harsh, deliberate response to the American terrorist forces,' Kaabi added.

His deputy had earlier called for an urgent meeting to unite anti-American forces across Iraq.

'We will wage a war against the American presence in all parts of the region that we can reach,' said Nasr al-Shammary.