The plane crash just hours after the missile attack from iran. The boeing passenger jet that went down minutes after takeoff in tehran. 176 people killed. Was it catastrophic failure . Was it a bomb . Or was it iran on heightened alert . The major winter storm from the south all the way up into the northeast. Snow, ice and freezing rain. Rob times it out. The urgent effort tonight, the staggering toll now from the wildfires in australia. Now a billion animals lost. Breaking news tonight on Supreme CourtJustice Ruth Bader ginsburg. The royal stunner. What prince harry and duchess meghan have now revealed. The queen hinting not so fast. And the toddler, the little girl out on the ledge. Her mother, its believed, was in the shower. Onlookers horrified. The child is okay. And what authorities are now saying tonight. Good evening and its great to have you with us here on a very busy wednesday night. And we begin tonight with the u. S. And iran appearing to back away, at the edge of war after the Iranian Missile strike on military bases housing the u. S. Military in iraq. Iranian state tv now showing some of the more than 20 missiles launched from iran into iraq. Many of them aimed at the al asad airbase in western iraq. Satellite images tonight of the damage. And late today, the chairman of the joint chiefs saying iran did intend to kill personnel, that that was his opinion. But there was no loss of life. And tonight, President Trump telling the American People, quote, iran appears to be standing down. No u. S. Military response, but imposing harsh new sanctions. Will it end there . Also tonight, new reports of explosions inside baghdads green zone. What we have learned on that headline, as well, tonight. We begin with abcs senior Foreign Correspondent ian pannell. Hes in iraq. Reporter tonight, new images capturing the chaos as Iranian Missiles explode on a u. S. Military base. Just some of the 15 that slammed into the al asad site thats home to thousands of u. S. Troops. Newly released satellite images revealing the scale of damage. This is what the base looked like only last month. And this is what it looks like now. The damage to structures clearly visible. A u. S. Official confirming iran firing nearly two dozen Ballistic Missiles on at least two u. S. Targets, but incredibly, no u. S. Or iraqi casualties. The chairman of the joint chiefs of staff believes the goal of the strikes was to kill. They were intended to cause structural damage, destroy vehicles and equipment and aircraft and to kill personnel. Reporter in the north today, Security Forces recovering shrapnel from what they say was an intercepted missile. But not all hit their targets. This one found in a field near the syrian border. Iran had threatened to avenge the killing of its top general. State tv says the ayatollah coordinated the attacks from a military control room. But more than an hour before the attack, the iranians made a warning call to the iraqis. And by the time those missiles landed, u. S. Forces were safe in their bunkers. No american or iraqi lives were lost, because of the precautions taken, the dispersal of forces and an Early Warning system that worked very well. Reporter part of that Warning System includes Satellite Technology that can spot missile launches in realtime and alert military commanders within seconds. So, lets get right to ian pannell, with us live tonight again from iraq. And ian, you know there has been a lot of talk about whether iran intentionally missed targets, whether that was a tactical decision on their part. Reporter yes, i think many feel its possible, not just in the lack of accuracy, but also the sites that were chosen, because there are many other bases the iranians could have targeted to inflict mass casualties and maximum damage. But that would have forced a significant u. S. Retaliation. However, the pentagon doesnt see it like that. Theyre insisting this was an attack designed to kill american troops. David . And ian, as you know, theres also some breaking news out of baghdad tonight. Youre following explosions, a rocket attack near the u. S. Embassy . Reporter yeah, thats right. No injuries reported, but it shows that there are Iraqi Militia groups still threatening retaliation. David . Ian pannell leading us off tonight from iraq. Ian, thank you. The president speaking to the American People today, and tonight, the white house releasing these new images of the president and his Top National Security advisers in the situation room last night after the iranian attack. Late today, his staff Briefing Members of congress about what led to the deadly drone strike that then caused iran to retaliate. One angry republican senator afterward calling it the worst briefing hes ever heard while serving in the senate. Heres abcs chief White House Correspondent jonathan karl. Reporter the president stepped before the cameras today, flanked by the military leadership, and made his first comments about irans attack on u. S. Facilities in iraq. Now talking peace, not war. Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world. Reporter the president is standing down, too. After monitoring the attack last night in the situation room, the white house releasing these photos today, he decided he would not strike back at iran. Instead, he called for economic sanctions and suggested what he really wants is negotiations with irans leaders. We must all Work Together toward making a deal with iran that makes the world a safer and more peaceful place. Reporter still, he defended his decision to order the strike that killed Qassem Soleimani last week. In recent days, he was planning new attacks on american targets, but we stopped him. Reporter but the white house still hasnt revealed to the American Public any evidence soleimani presented an imminent threat. Today, the president s National Security team gave closeddoor, classified briefings to congress. Democrats left thoroughly unconvinced. And one of the harshest reviews came from a republican senator mike lee of utah. Probably the worst briefing ive seen, at least on a military issue, in the nine years ive served in the u. S. Senate. One of the messages we received from the briefers was, do not debate, do not discuss the issue of the appropriateness of further military intervention against iran. And that if you do, youll be emboldening iran. Its unamerican. Its unconstitutional and its wrong. Words from a republican senator late today. Jon karl live at the white house. And jon, senator mike lee says hes so angry that hell now support a measure to limit the president s ability to wage war on iran . Reporter yeah, both the house and the senate are expected to soon vote on resolutions that would limit the president s ability to take military action on iran without first getting congressional approval. Its unclear whether that would pass in the republicancontrolled senate. And, of course, even if it passed both chambers, david, it would almost certainly be vetoed by the president. All right, jon karl with us from the white house again tonight. Jon, thank you. You heard President Trump saying, we are ready to embrace peace, when it comes to iran. But how did the iranians respond . Abcs chief Global Affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz, shes been in tehran for days now. And martha with us live again tonight. And what are you hearing on the ground, martha . Reporter well, david, tonight, the threat of allout war here certainly seems over for now. The foreign minister tweeting that iran has concluded proportionate measures with its retaliatory strikes, adding that iran does not seek escalation or war, but they are a long way from any sort of negotiations, as President Trump suggested. They simply dont trust him. And there is still fiery rhetoric coming from officials here. On live tv today, irans Supreme Leader calling the Iranian Missile strike a slap in the face delivered to america and calling for all u. S. Troops to get out of the mideast. So, david, while the heat may be turned way down, this standoff with iran is far from over. David . All right, Martha Raddatz in tehran. Martha, thank you. We, of course, are also following the plane crash, the mystery, just hours after iran fired those missiles. A ukrainian passenger jet crashing minutes after takeoff at the airport in tehran. Tonight, look at this. Pieces of the boeing 737 strewn across acres of land, along with the remains of at least 176 people onboard. No one survived. So far tonight, iran is refusing to share the flight data recorders with the u. S. Or with boeing. Was it catastrophic failure, was it a bomb, was it iran on heightened alert after those missiles . Abcs david kerley covers aviation for us. Reporter pieces of burning wreckage pierced tehrans Early Morning darkness. The remains of the ukrainian boeing 737. With daylight, the grim awareness that none of the 176 onboard survived. Body bags lining the side of a street. A childs notebooks found on the ground. More than a third of those onboard, 63 people, canadian citizens. It was soon after takeoff that the jet suddenly disappeared from radar. The data stop like that, you have to say its something catastrophic. Reporter it was less than four hours after iran launched that barrage of missiles at american targets in iraq that the ukrainian jet was allowed to take off, an hour late. Just two minutes into the flight, the jet was climbing, less than 5,000 feet off the ground. Ten miles from the airport and the data stops. The jet falling from the sky. What could cause such a catastrophic crash . A mechanical failure. A bomb. Or a shootdown. A theory getting attention because of the heightened tensions in iran. Some are pointing to what appear to be shrapnel holes in the pictures of some of the wreckage. Similar to what was found in the malaysian flight 17, which was shot down over ukraine. Right now, we dont have enough data to go one way or the other. Is a shootdown possible . Yes. Can i come up with mechanical failures that are possible . Yes. Right now, we just dont have the data. Reporter the iranians deny a shootdown of the jetliner and say they have recovered the black boxes, which could have answers, but iran will not provide those boxes to u. S. Authorities or boeing. While they may not provide the boxes to the u. S. , other parties are being invited to the investigation, so, theres a chance the ukrainians or the canadians will share the data at some point. David, the question is, when . David kerley tonight. David, our thanks to you, as well. And to the other major news this wednesday evening, in puerto rico tonight, nearly a million in the dark after the deadly 6. 4 earthquake. President trump has now signed an Emergency Declaration tonight. Supplies are now being rushed in. Victor oquendo is in puerto rico for us. Reporter tonight, new Surveillance Video shows a tremor hitting this Convenience Store after the largest quake in a century. A 6. 4 rocked puerto rico. Businesses and hundreds of homes, schools and churches leveled. Terrified families cleaning up the damage and bracing for aftershocks. This is one of several homes in this neighborhood that was destroyed. It was actually raised and there is a crushed car underneath all the rubble. Here, here, everywhere. Reporter in hard hit guanica, germainne velez says hes afraid to go inside his crumbling bakery. I went in, like, two times and it started reporter shaking . Shaking. Reporter we visited the command center for puerto ricos power company. A race to restore electricity to about a million customers. Its crazy, man. Theres a lot of people here working. Actually we are working here 24 7. Reporter volunteers pitching tents. Families sleeping outside, afraid to go home. The goal is to have power restored to 90 of the island in the next four or five days. But there could be setbacks. The usgs warns we can expect even more aftershocks. David . All right, Victor Oquendo in puerto rico. Victor, thank you. And next tonight, we are tracking a major storm that will slam the south, all the way up through the northeast. Major cities in the track. The system 1,700 miles long, from texas all the way up to maine. Snow, sleet, freezing rain. So, lets get right to meteorologist rob marciano tracking it all for us tonight. Hey, rob. Reporter hi, david. We got some big swings coming, starting with this cold thats pouring into the northeast. Snow squalls active on the radar, especially around the lakes and the wind advisory continues. Going to be slick and brisk in the morning. Feeling like 15 in philly, 10 in boston. And those storms driving into the west will get across the rockies tomorrow into the plains on friday. Bigtime Severe Weather setup from houston up to little rock. Tornadoes a distinct possibility. Then pushing through new orleans and birmingham during the day on saturday. Could see a foot of snow on the back side of this. The warm sector is huge with flooding rain into the ohio valley and the whole mess gets into the northeast on sunday. David . Rob marciano, well be tracking it. Thank you, rob. Next, to australia tonight. Firefighters are racing to save the wildlife amid those wildfires still raging. The staggering toll weve been reporting on here, now an estimated billion animals lost. Abcs meteorologist ginger zee is still in the fire zone for us tonight. Reporter tonight, as firefighters in australia battle flames that have scorched 15 million acres, an ecological emergency is unfolding. That terrifying estimate that more than 1 billion animals have now been lost. Australias wild animals desperate for water. Now, volunteers are stepping up any way they can. You can tell shes very stressed. Reporter an ecologist treating these baby wallabies in her home. You all right . Reporter these teens filling their truck with koalas they found where their familys home once stood. Veterinarians from the Australian Army treating many of them at this wildlife hospital. What were finding is theres often these isolated populations, and so, if the fire does move through that, instead of taking a few from a large genepool, it unfortunately can take out an entire population. Reporter weve seen plenty of surviving animals inside these burntout forests that flank the entire drive down to sydney, but heres the problem. Just like the people that live in the areas that have not yet burned, there are animals that will be susceptible, too, when conditions deteriorate again on friday. David . Those images so difficult. Ginger zee, our thanks to you again tonight. And there is still much more ahead on world news tonight this wednesday. Breaking news on Supreme CourtJustice Ruth Bader ginsburg tonight. Also, the rescue operation. Two workers falling up to 70 feet. Dozens of firefighters on the scene and what weve learned tonight. Also the royal stunner. What prince harry and duchess meghan have now revealed. The queen hinting tonight not so fast. And look at this. The toddler, the little girl out on the ledge. Her mother, its believed, was in the shower. Onlookers horrified. That child is okay, but what authorities are now saying tonight. A lot more news ahead. Ill be right back. A lot more news ahead. A lot more news ahead. Ill be right back. She always s, food is love, so when she moved in with us, a new kitchen became part of our financial plan. I want to make the most of every meal we have together. At Northwestern Mutual, our version of Financial Planning helps you live your dreams today. Find a Northwestern Mutual advisor at nm dot com. Helps you live ysaturpain happens. Aleve it. Aleve is proven stronger and longer on pain than tylenol. When pain happens, aleve it. All day strong. Doprevagen is the number oneild mempharmacistrecommendeding . Memory support brand. You can find it in the vitamin aisle in stores everywhere. Prevagen. Healthier brain. Better life. Next tonight here, prince harry and duchess meghan revealing they are stepping back from their royal roles. And the major question tonight did anyone in the royal family, did the queen, know this was coming . Abcs James Longman from london. Reporter tonight, senior members of the royal family appear blindsided by the stunning announcement from prince harry and duchess meghan. The royal couple saying they plan to step back from their royal duties and split their time between britain and north america. Its not been the fairy tale once imagined. Relentless and crushing coverage from the British Press taking its toll. Harrys late mother, diana, in a Television Interview with panorama, once described the suffocating nature of being a royal. The pressure on us both as a couple with the media was phenomenal and misunderstood by a great many people. Reporter and back in october, meghan admitted to itv royal life has been overwhelming. Not many people have asked if im okay, but its its a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes. Reporter harry defended his wife, saying, i have been a silent witness to her private suffering for too long. I cannot begin to describe how painful it has been. The royal family seems to have had no idea this was coming tonight. Buckingham palace releasing a statement, saying, we understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through. The queen has been in discu