U.S. air strike kills top Iranian military general and Iraqi commander at Baghdad’s international airport
Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, seen here in 2016, was reportedly killed Friday in an air strike in Baghdad.The Pentagon said Thursday that the U.S. military has killed General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, at the direction of President Donald Trump.
The strike also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Iran-backed militias in Iraq known as the Popular Mobilization Forces, or PMF, Iraqi officials said. The PMF media arm said the two were killed in an American air strike that targeted their vehicle on the road to the airport. The deaths are a potential turning point in the Middle East and if the U.S. carried them out, it represents a drastic change for American policy toward Iran after months of tensions.
The security official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Mr. al-Muhandis had arrived to the airport in a convoy along with others to receive Gen. Soleimani, whose plane had arrived from either Lebanon or Syria. The air strike took place near the cargo area after he left the plane to be greeted by Mr. al-Muhandis and others.
As the head of the Quds, or Jerusalem, force of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Soleimani led all of its expeditionary forces. Quds Force members have deployed into Syria’s long war to support President Bashar al-Assad, as well as into Iraq in the wake of the 2003 U.S. invasion that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein, a long-time foe of Tehran.
The attack came amid tensions with the United States after a New Year’s Eve attack by Iran-backed militias on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. The two-day embassy attack, which ended Wednesday, prompted Mr. Trump to order about 750 U.S. soldiers deployed to the Middle East.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
At least seven killed as rockets fall on Baghdad International AirportThe rockets reportedly landed near the air cargo terminal, burning two vehicles
Read more »
Helicopter crash kills Taiwan's top military officer, 7 othersTaiwan's top military official was among eight people killed in an air force helicopter crash in mountainous terrain outside Taipei on Thursday, the defence ministry said. Five others survived.
Read more »
Global markets mostly higher on optimism about U.S.-China dealGlobal shares were mostly higher on optimism about a U.S.-China trade deal as regional markets opened the new year's first day of trading Thursday.
Read more »
Militiamen withdraw from U.S. Embassy but Iraq tensions lingerIran-backed militiamen withdrew from the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad on Wednesday after two days of clashes with American security forces, but U.S.-Iran tensions remain high and could spill over into further violence.
Read more »