Meantime, we've also learned tonight that the US. Has now launched a deadly strike in retaliation for a missile attack, wounding several u. S. Troops in Iraq. The Pentagon saying U. S. Forces again targeted by Iranian backed militants. Tonight. The US responding. And here's our chief global affairs correspondent, Martha Raditz.

Tonight, tonight american retaliatory airstrikes in Iraq after u. S. Forces came under fire from Iran backed militants. The pentagon says the militants fired a close range ballistic missile at the alasad air base in western iraq, leaving at least eight Americans with minor injuries. Even before tonight's retaliatory strikes, an American AC 130 gunship that had been flying near al assad fired on the militants as they jumped into nearby vehicles.

The AC 130 was able to determine the point of origin from where the close range ballistic missile was fired to the base. This self defense strike resulted in some hostile fatalities.

US. Forces have been attacked more than 65 times in Iraq and Syria since midoctober, injuring as many as 70 Americans. In response to those earlier attacks, the US. Conducted three separate preplanned airstrikes, leveling some weapons storage areas in Syria, and what the pentagon says was a command center for the iranian backed militants.

Those u. S. Airstrikes are meant to punish and deter those iranian backed forces, but the militant attacks just keep coming despite those efforts. Also tonight, a new warning from the white house that Iran is considering sending ballistic missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine. David?

Martha Raditz live in Washington. Martha, thank you.

Hi, everyone. George Stephanopoulos here. Thanks for checking out the ABC news YouTube channel. If you'd like to get more videos, show highlights and watch live event coverage, click on the right over here to subscribe to our channel. And don't forget to download the ABC news app for breaking news alerts. Thanks for watching.