Iraqi state TV and three Iraqi officials say Gen. Qassim Soleimani, head of Iran's elite Quds force, has been killed in an airstrike at Baghdad's international airport. https://t.co/06vLSm8JOq— The Associated Press (@AP) January 3, 2020
Iran’s most revered military leader, Qasem Soleimani is dead…
Breaking news: Airstrike at Baghdad airport kills Iran’s most revered military leader, Qasem Soleimani, Iraqi state television reports https://t.co/NbZW4DaWvD— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 3, 2020
The most important assassination in recent memory. Soleimani’s hands were in every aspect of Iran’s multi-decade proxy wars. The significance of this cannot possibly be overstated.
Iraqi TV and three Iraqi officials said Friday that Gen. Qassim Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, has been killed in an airstrike at Baghdad’s international airport.
The officials said the strike also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of Iran-backed militias known as the Popular Mobilization Forces.
Their deaths are a potential turning point in the Middle East and are expected to draw severe retaliation from Iran and the forces it backs in the Middle East against Israel and American interests.
The PMF blamed the United States for an attack at Baghdad International Airport Friday.
An official with an Iran-backed paramilitary force said Friday that seven people were killed by a missile fired at Baghdad International Airport, blaming the United States. The official with the group known as the Popular Mobilization Forces said the dead included its airport protocol officer, identifying him as Mohammed Reda.
A security official confirmed that seven people were killed in the attack on the airport, describing it as an airstrike. Earlier, Iraq’s Security Media Cell, which releases information regarding Iraqi security, said Katyusha rockets landed near the airport’s cargo hall, killing several people and setting two cars on fire.
It was not immediately clear who fired the missile or rockets or who was targeted. There was no immediate comment from the U.S.
The security official said the bodies of those killed in the airport attack Friday were burned and difficult to identify. The official added that Reda may have been at the airport to pick up a group of “high-level” visitors who had arrived from a neighboring country. He declined to provide more information.
Defense Secretary Esper to make statement soon…
— Mike (@Doranimated) January 3, 2020
Mohammed Ridha was also killed…
Reports are that Mohammed Ridha head of Protocol office in the PMF was accompanied by high value guests, their SUVs were hit directly inside of Baghdad Airport’s main road pic.twitter.com/LVgKna1N0U— Steven nabil (@thestevennabil) January 2, 2020
Here is raw footage…
BREAKING: Vehicles hit in rocket attack near Baghdad International Airport; reports of casualties – Alhurra pic.twitter.com/bvlExqpbTx— BNO News (@BNONews) January 2, 2020
The situation is fluid as evidenced by the tweets below, but it appears US forces launched a targeted strike on Iraqi militia leaders late this afternoon in Baghdad. Two SUVs were directly hit in the road leading in-out of the civilian Baghdad International Airport, body parts everywhere according to witnesses on the ground.
Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Deputy Commander of Hashd al-Shaabi and Qassem Solaimi Commander of IRGC were killed in Baghdad — Hezbollah’s Mayadeen says.
“Urgent Iraqi security sources: The explosions were caused by the fall of 3 missiles in the back area of Baghdad Airport,” tweeted Al Jazeera, according to a Google translation. The base where the rockets landed is a joint U.S./Iraqi counterterror center.
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