Roommates, the U.S. military has reportedly carried out an airstrike on Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. Soleimani was killed after three rockets were fired in his location.
According to CNBC, Donald Trump ordered the attack in an attempt to stop future alleged Iranian attacks plans. Although it is unclear whether or not the corps had concrete plans to attack the U.S., Trump saw it necessary to eliminate any potential threat.
“This strike was aimed was deterring future Iranian attack plans,” the Pentagon said in a statement. “The United States will continue to take all necessary too protect our people and our interests wherever they are around the world.”
Soleimani was the leader of a special forces unit of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards, and he had been a key figure of Iranian and Middle East politics. His death has reportedly increased already high tensions between Iran and the United States.
The Department of Defense released statement regarding the airstrike, and the U.S. concerns about oil prices.
“General Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region. General Soleimani and his Quds Force were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members and the wounding of thousands more,” the statement reads.
The statement continues saying:
“He had orchestrated attacks on coalition culminating in the death and wounding of additional American and Iraqi personnel. General Soleimani also approved the attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad that took place this week.”
Hours after the Pentagon’s announcement, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Twitter that the killing of Soleimani was “extremely dangerous & a foolish escalation”
“The US bears responsibility for all consequences of its rouge adventurism,” he said.
The strike came a week after the U.S. blamed Iran for attacks on two oil tankers in the Persian Gulf region and after four tankers were attacked in May.
