Iraqi president calls for restraint 

Iraqi President Barham Saleh called for restraint on Friday, characterizing the U.S. airstrike as an "aggression" and saying Iraq would be destabilized if "voices of reason" did not prevail.

Commenting on the U.S. security alert, the Iraqi oil ministry said only U.S. citizens working for foreign oil companies have left Basra at the request of their government.

The situation in oilfields across Iraq is normal and production and export are unaffected, said the ministry.