Top Iranian General Among 7 Killed In US Air Strike

In another instance of a souring relationship between the United States and Iraqi forces, Gen Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, was killed in a US-led airstrike at Baghdad’s international airport on Friday.

Pentagon has confirmed that the strike was carried out by the US, on the orders of American President Donald Trump.

At the direction of the President, the U.S. military has taken decisive defensive action to protect U.S. personnel abroad by killing Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force, a US-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 3, 2020

Donald Trump posted an image of the US Flag, minutes after reports of Gen Qaseem Soleimani’s death.

pic.twitter.com/VXeKiVzpTf

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2020

The White House has called it a “defensive action” taken to protect US personnel abroad.

“General Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region.” tweeted, The White House

General Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region. https://t.co/Me5DMvMgSp

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 3, 2020

Iran's Revolutionary Guards confirmed in a statement that Soleimani was killed.

Apart from Gen Qassem Soleimani, the strike also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of Iran-backed militias known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).