FILE- In this Sept. 18, 2016 photo released by an official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader, Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani, center, attends a meeting with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Revolutionary Guard commanders in Tehran, Iran. Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard faces new sanctions from U.S. President Donald Trump as he has declined to re-certify the nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers. But what is this organization? (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP, File)
Lot of things popping in Baghdad right now, and the facts are still emerging, so we’ll tell you what we know so far and update as more comes in.
There were missiles that hit at or near the Baghdad airport where there is a U.S and Iraqi counter-terrorism force.
Also hit were two SUVs on a service road near the airport. Several people were killed in an SUV belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces group, the pro-Iranian people who had a hand in the attack on the U.S. Embassy two days ago.
Rockets Strike #Iraq's #BaghdadAirport, #USMilitary Choppers Spotted in Airspace. Three rockets landed on the edge of #Baghdad International Airport , causing explosions but no deaths or injuries, according to local reporters.#IraqiProtests pic.twitter.com/fdEFmkTxpq
— Ehab Al Obaidy (@Ehab8Alobaidy) January 2, 2020
One person apparently confirmed dead was Mohammed Ridha who was seen outside the embassy during the attack.
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
The guy next to Abu Mahdi Al Muhandis was killed in what looks like a targeted hit against a PMF convoy leaving Baghdad International Airport, picture from the attack against U.S embassy two days ago , his name is Mohammed Ridha pic.twitter.com/h5OlkUwwdN
— Steven Nabil (@thestevennabil) January 2, 2020
Mohammed Redha Al-Jabri who was killed outside Baghdad Airport tonight, was walking next to leader of Iran-backed Hezbollah militia Abu Mahdi Muhandis during Hashd al-Shaabi attack on US Embassy on Wednesday.
Photo via @TomtheBasedCat #Iraq pic.twitter.com/zU49Hvv985— Baxtiyar Goran (@BaxtiyarGoran) January 2, 2020
The PMF is admitting that Ridha/Reda was killed. The reports are that Ridha may have been picking up high profile folks at the airport.
But the question is who were the “special guests” who were with him who apparently were also taken out in the strike?
Reports are now coming in that one of the people in the car was a big hit – the IRGC head Qasem Soleimani, the man responsible for many American deaths. Soleimani is the military mastermind whom Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had deemed equally as dangerous as Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who died in a strike by U.S.-led forces in October, according to Fox.
Major news coming out of Iraq : A direct hit results in the death of Abu Mahdi Al Muhandis and General Qassem Sulaimani (Iranian leader of Quds force) , their convoy coming out of Baghdad international Airport, we are awaiting an official press release to confirm from either side pic.twitter.com/UOtZI1pF5G
— Steven Nabil (@thestevennabil) January 3, 2020
Sulaimani is Iran’s second most powerful man, after Ayatollah Khamenai the leader of the Iranian Islamic revolution. He is in charge of the Iranian political, economical and military influence in the entire region. Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen and Gaza strip.
— Steven Nabil (@thestevennabil) January 3, 2020
Iraqi state media reported that Soleimani and the deputy head of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, were both killed in the attack.
BREAKING – multiple reports coming from #Iraq claiming that *both* #IRGC Quds Force chief Qassem Soleimani & #PMU Deputy Abu Mahdi al-Mohandes were killed tonight in the [alleged US] drone strike outside #Baghdad Airport.
Massive news, if it’s accurate. pic.twitter.com/5neqD77pfN
— Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) January 3, 2020
The PMF is blaming the U.S. and Israel for the strike, but the U.S. has not confirmed their involvement as yet. The PMF official admitted that seven people were killed in the strike.
Soleimani is believed to have had a hand in directing the attack on the U.S. Embassy on Dec. 31. According to an Alhurra report, Soleimani had helped get a pro-Iranian head of security for the Green Zone installed specifically to help aid in such an attack. As we noted yesterday, this obviously would have had security implications for future safety at the embassies.
3. Soleimani is extraordinarily close to the Supreme Leader of Iran. Soleimani reports directly to the Supreme Leader, the Qods force is technically part of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps which also reports to the Supreme Leader.
He is more powerful than Iran’s President
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) January 3, 2020
4. If you want to understand how powerful Soleimani is all you have to look to is a text he sent to David Petraeus. This text is an extraordinary (yet unsurprising) display of power. Especially since Iran has an elected president and foreign minister. https://t.co/3QdthfC01P pic.twitter.com/oTs6Z0mjkB
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) January 3, 2020
The Pentagon is now confirming the U.S. did the strike.
BREAKING: Pentagon confirms air strike:
“At the direction of the President, the U.S. military has taken decisive defensive action to protect U.S. personnel by killing Qasem Soleimani.”
“Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members.” pic.twitter.com/PIdGtlPH2R
— Alex Salvi (@alexsalvinews) January 3, 2020
President Donald Trump tweeted this:
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2020
This is developing and we will update.
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