Evening summary

Here's MEE's summary at 7pm GMT of a day that saw some tensions ease following Iran's missile attacks on Iraqi bases last night:

1) Influential Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has declared the "crisis" over, and called for dialogue and for Iraqi militia groups not to take any further action that could lead to an escalation. He also called for the formation of a new government in Iraq.

2) Donald Trump said that Iran appeared to be "standing down" after last night's attacks and, while promising to impose more sanctions on the country, appeared not to be proposing any military retaliation for the attack.

3) There have been no reported casualties among either Iraqi or US personnel on the two military bases struck, according to Washington and Baghdad.

4) Iraqi President Barham Salih has denounced Iran's strikes as a "violation of state sovereignty" and has warned against any further escalation that could see Iraq become a battlefield.

5) Qais al-Khazali, leader of the powerful Iran-backed Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, has said there needs to be an "Iraqi response" to the air strikes that killed Quds Force leader Qassem Soleimani and militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Mohandis.