Iran has launched a missile barrage on an airbase housing United States forces in Iraq.

Iranian State television says the attack is in response to the US strike which killed top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani.

It’s unclear at this stage if any Australian troops were housed there.

Scott Morrison said the government was monitoring the situation closely.

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— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) January 8, 2020

President Donald Trump says now is not the right time to withdraw from Iraq, claiming it would give Iran even more influence in the region.

“I think we’ve done a fantastic job,” he said.

“But eventually we want to be able to let Iraq run its own affairs and that’s very important.

“At some point we want to get out, but this isn’t the right point.”