Iran missiles: How will President Trump respond to military base attacks?

8 January 2020, 07:42

This US expert told Nick Ferrari that the lack of casualties means President Trump can back down from conflict with Iran without losing face.

Iran has fired more than a dozen ballistic missiles at two air bases in Iraq housing US troops, in retaliation for the killing of its top military commander.

Speaking to Nick Ferrari, US analyst Charles Feldman said: "Trying to predict President Trump is just about the most impossible thing anyone can do.

"But, I had predicted that, if there were no US casualties - and it doesn't appear that there have been on the ground there - it would give President Trump a face-saving way of backing down from his more inflammatory rhetoric.

"And that's what he did. When the early reports indicated no US casualties, he tweeted 'All is well' and he'll talk to people in the morning.

"My guess is he's going to say something like 'what we did was in proportion to what the Iranians have been doing and if they play nice, we'll play nice' and we will go back to the proxy war we've been having with Iran for the last few years.

A US analyst predicted Donald Trump's response to the attack
A US analyst predicted Donald Trump's response to the attack. Picture: PA / LBC

"What you're seeing is both sides wanting to de-escalate.

"But that doesn't mean that everything is going to be peachy fine going fine. What the US is more worried about, at least domestically, is cyber warfare.

"There is concern that the next move may be aimed at the US mainland in the form of a cyber attack."

Watch his analysis at the top of the page.

More Nick Ferrari

See more More Nick Ferrari

Rishi Sunak’s job is under threat from a plot of backbench Tory MPs who want to replace him with Penny Mordaunt before the general election.

Tories 'need to stop messing around and get behind the Prime Minister,' Business Secretary tells LBC

Exclusive
'This is trivia': Kemi Badenoch hits out at continued furore over Tory donor 'racism' row

'This is trivia': Kemi Badenoch hits out at continued furore over Tory donor 'racism' row

Government suspends tariffs on key imports to boost SMEs launching £660 million northern powerhouse fund

Government suspends tariffs on key imports to boost SMEs launching £660 million northern powerhouse fund

'Floating voters' unconvinced by Jeremy Hunt's Budget

LBC's 'Floating Voters' left unconvinced by Jeremy Hunt's Budget

Leila Khaled, who hijacked planes, will appear via video link at a fundraiser hosted by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Andy Street wants police to look at the event

'I'm not comfortable with it': West Mids Mayor to speak to police amid fury over Palestinian hijacker’s fundraiser

Andy Street taking calls from the public on Nick Ferrari at Breakfast

Tory MP's claim that Birmingham has 'no-go areas' was 'ridiculous', West Midlands Mayor tells LBC

Minister quizzed on tweet where he described Trump as 'cancer'

Minister Bim Afolami says tweet in which he referred to Donald Trump as 'a cancer' is appropriate

Lee Anderson

Police 'looking into hate speech complaint against Lee Anderson' after MP said Sadiq Khan was controlled by Islamists

Richard Tice said he turned down two Tories who tried to join the party

Reform UK leader Richard Tice says he rejected two Tory MPs who tried to defect in the last year

Michael Tomlinson repeatedly refused to answer Nick Ferrari's question

Nick Ferrari cuts off minister who refuses to answer his questions nine times over Lee Anderson's 'Islamophobic remarks'

Rishi Sunak is facing a revolt for sacking Lee Anderson

Lee Anderson refuses to apologise for 'Islamist' comments as he doubles down on criticism of Sadiq Khan

Rishi Sunak is facing a revolt for sacking Lee Anderson

PM denies Tories have 'Islamophobic tendencies' as minister says Lee Anderson's comments were 'profoundly wrong'

Dame Esther Rantzen has told LBC why she is campaigning to change the law on assisted dying

‘Dogs get treated better than humans’, Esther Rantzen says, as TV legend demands assisted dying law change

Rishi Sunak (l) puts on a brave face to the Tories by-election defeats on a visit to Harlow. New Kingswood MP Damien Egan (top r) and Wellingborough MP Gem Kitchen (bottom r)

Rishi Sunak begs frustrated Tories 'not to put Starmer in power' after party suffers double by-election disaster

New Labour MPs Damien Egan and Gen Kitchen

'They are not very good results': Tory chairman admits after double by-election drubbings as MPs call for tax cuts

The peer was speaking to LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast

'It was known yesterday' Azhar Ali had made more Israel conspiracy theory comments, peer tells LBC