'World cannot afford war': U.S. Democrats respond to Iran missile strike

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi leaves a house democratic leadership meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 7, 2020. REUTERS/ Leah Millis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats in the U.S. Congress and some of the party's presidential contenders warned on Tuesday about escalating conflict in the Middle East after Iran launched a retaliatory missile strike against U.S. forces in Iraq.

The news that Tehran had fired more than a dozen ballistic missiles against at least two Iraqi military bases hosting U.S.-led coalition personnel broke during a meeting of Democratic lawmakers in the House of Representatives.