United States President Donald Trump ordered an airstrike at Baghdad International Airport that saw key Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani get killed in the attack.
The Pentagon confirmed the airstrike on Thursday saying that it was done in a decisive defensive action to protect US personnel abroad and to deter future Iranian attack plans.
Qasem Soleimani was the head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and one of the most powerful men in Iran. His death comes as an unexpected move that could escalate tensions between Washington and Tehran.
According to the Pentagon, Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region.
They also blamed him for planning attacks on coalition bases in Iraq in recent months, including the attack on December 27 that saw an American contractor and Iraqi personnel die.
Iranian officials reacted to the airstrike citing the airstrike as international terrorism and a foolish escalation.