Dem Congressman Warns This ‘Could Very Well Be’ War With Iran: Trump Needs to ‘Tone Down Everything’

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel said the United States “could very well be” entering a war with Iran in an appearance on CNN Tuesday night, as missiles struck Iraqi military bases housing U.S. troops.

“Is this now a war?” CNN anchor Erin Burnett asked the New York Democrat.

“Well, it could very well be,” Engel replied. “The president and his crew better figure out a way to sort of tone down everything, because we could be in the middle of a full-fledged war. And I don’t think that’s something anybody wants.”

“There’s no doubt that America would win any kind of war, but the casualties would be horrific. And I don’t think the American people are ready for it. I know Congress is not ready for it. You had to expect that there would be some retaliation such as this. I don’t like the regime in Tehran, but I don’t think we want to go to war with them.”

The Pentagon confirmed on Tuesday night that Iran fired more than a dozen ballistic missiles at Iraqi airbases housing U.S. troops. No casualties have been reported as of yet. The strike comes days after the United States killed top Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani in a strike near Baghdad.

“I think what we have to do now is tone down the rhetoric on all sides and try to see how we can sort of extricate ourselves from this nightmare, because I don’t think the American people want to go to war,” Engel said.

“I hope the president and his aides are thinking this one through very carefully. I don’t believe there’s any good ending if we’re in a full-fledged war.”

CNN reported that President Donald Trump is expected to address the nation from the Oval Office on Tuesday night. (UPDATE: Multiple reports are now saying there will not be a presidential Oval Office address tonight.)

Watch above, via CNN.