AUSTIN, Texas -- Iran launched more than a dozen missiles at two Iraqi bases that hold U.S. troops in what appears to be retaliation for the American airstrike that killed a top Iranian general last week, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

As of Tuesday evening, there were no initial reports of any U.S. casualties, but an assessment of the impact of the strikes was underway.

A national security expert who spoke with Capital Tonight said he doesn’t think war is imminent – but it all hinges on how much damage was done.

“I think there’s still a way out,” said Dr. Paul Edgar, associate director of the Clements Center for National Security at the University of Texas at Austin. “I think there’s still a way out for both sides but it depends on what the casualties were tonight. It’ll also be interesting to find out – we do know there have been Iraqi casualties, so how does that change the political positioning, posturing of the Iraq government that they have displayed over the last few days, which has been a little bit surprising and disappointing.”

Click the video link above to watch our full interview with Dr. Edgar.