The US president Donald Trump ordered an airstrike that killed the 62 year old Iran military leader and head of the Quds Force, General Qasim Soleimani earlier today.
The death of General Soleimani escalates the tensions between the two countries even more and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said “severe revenge awaits the criminals” behind the attack.
The Iranian leader has announced three days of national mourning after the incident. General Soleimani was one of the most powerful figures second only to the Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards unit, the Quds Force that was led by General Soleimani reported directly to the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei.
General Soleimani was a national heoric figure in the country.
President Donald Trump was in Florida at the time of the airstrike and he also posted a picture of the American Flag afterwards.
The headquarters of US Department of Defense, the Pentagon issued a statement following the US airstrike saying:
General Suleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region.
Further adding:
This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans,
In the eyes of the US, General Soleimani and his Quds Force was a terrorist and they were held resposible for the deaths of hundreds of US personnel.
According to the Pentagon:
At the direction of the president, the US military has taken decisive defensive action to protect US personnel abroad by killing Qasem Soleimani.
General Soleimani is said to have flown in from Lebonon or Syria and was leaving the Baghdad airport with other officials when they were hit by the drone strike near a cargo area.
According to the Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, the Iraqi-Iranian military leader, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was also present there and among those who died. Reports say that a total of seven people are believed to have died in the attack.
The Iran’s Foreign Minister, Javed Zarif came to Twitter after the attack:
He said that this was an “act of international terorrism” by the US. The former commander of the Revolutionary Guards, Mohsen Rezaei said that “vigorous revenge on America” would be taken by Iran.
People have come out on the streets on Tehran in protest following the incident.
According to reports, the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has appointed Ismail Qaani as the new commander of the Iran Quds Force military organization.
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