An airstrike ordered by US President Donald Trump has resulted in the death of Iran’s highest general Qassem Suleimani. This was an unexpected act of escalating tension between the two countries which will have severe ramifications, both in the region, as well as the global stage.
The US Department of Defence made a statement on the incident earlier today:
“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 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.”
They went on to say: “This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans. The United States will continue to take all necessary action to protect our people and our interests wherever they are around the world.”
Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad said on twitter that: “For many Iranians Qassem Soleimani was a warmonger who caused massive casualties in Syria. He was no hero to average Iranians who chanted against the country’s support for Hezbollah and Hamas.”
IMPORTANT: For many Iranians Qassem Soleimani was a warmonger who caused massive casualties in Syria. He was no hero to average Iranians who chanted against the country’s support for Hezbollah and Hamas 1/
— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) January 3, 2020
Meanwhile, National Security reporter Erin Banco stated the following: “Just got off the phone with Sen. Graham: “We need to get ready for a major pushback. Our people in Iraq and the Middle East are going to be targeted. We need to be ready to defend our people in the Middle East. I think we need to be ready for a big counterpunch.””
Just got off the phone with Sen. Graham: "We need to get ready for a major pushback. Our people in Iraq and the Middle East are going to be targeted. We need to be ready to defend our people in the Middle East. I think we need to be ready for a big counterpunch."
— Erin Banco (@ErinBanco) January 3, 2020
Further, she continued her Senator Graham quote with: “This was a defensive act. If Iranian aggression continues we need to put their oil refineries on the target list. Iran needs to understand that we mean it. You’re not going to come after our people.”
" This was a defensive act. If Iranian aggression continues we need to put their oil refineries on the target list. Iran needs to understand that we mean it. You’re not going to come after our people."
— Erin Banco (@ErinBanco) January 3, 2020
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