IRAN may have deliberately missed American targets in Iraq in a bid to avoid war between the two countries, US officials have reportedly said.

Satellite images show bomb craters from the missile barrage, which the Iranians say was revenge for the killing of their top general Qasem Soleimani.

Iran today bragged it had given America a "slap in the face" following attacks on Al Asad and Erbil air bases.

But there is a belief among Trump administration officials the missiles were deliberately aimed to miss areas where US troops were stationed, CNN reports.

Iran may have been sending a message with one State Department official quoted as saying: “We could have done it and we didn't do it."

The official added the US gave Iran the "opportunity to do what they needed to do and not escalate by killing Americans”.

Speaking at the White House following the attack, Donald Trump also appeared to signal that he wanted to de-escalate tensions with Iran.

"We must all work together toward making a deal with Iran that makes the world a safer and more peaceful place," he said.

'WE COULD HAVE DONE IT'

Meanwhile, Iraq's Prime Minister revealed got a tip off the Iranian missile strikes were "about to start" and warned American troops.

Adil Abdul-Mahdi received a "verbal message" from Iranian government the attacks were about to take place, AL Jazeera reports.

In a statement a spokesman for Abdul Mahdi said: "Shortly after midnight on Wednesday we received a verbal message from the Islamic Republic of Iran that the Iranian response to the assassination of the martyr Qassem Soleimani had started or was about to start."

The spokesman added the prime minister was told Iran would only target locations where US forces were present but did not specify where these targets were.

Iraq then gave advanced warnings to the US the strikes were coming, US officials told CNN.

Al Asad air base, nicknamed Camp Cupcake by troops, is a coalition base shared by Iraqi, American and some British armed forces and is thought to house around 1,500 soldiers.

Iran's state TV boasted the operation was named 'Martyr Soleimani' and claimed 80 "American terrorists" had been killed in the strike.

President Trump, however, said no US personnel were killed in the early Wednesday morning attack.

Soon after the missiles were launched, Iran's foreign minister Javad Zarif called the attack a proportionate measure in self-defence and said he doesn't want the situation to escalate.

He said: “Iran took and concluded proportionate measures in self-defence under Article 51 of UN Charter targeting base from which cowardly armed attack against our citizens and senior officials were launched.

“We do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression.”

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