'ACT OF WAR'
Who was Qasem Soleimani and how did Iran’s general die?
IRANIAN military commander, General Qasem Soleimani, was killed at Baghdad airport on Friday, January 2.
But who was Iran's top general and how did he die?
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Who was Qasem Soleimani?
Iran's General Qasem Soleimani, 62, spearheaded Iran's military operations in the Middle East as head of the country's elite Quds Force.
He joined the Revolutionary Guards - who have been declared a foreign terrorist organisation by the US - in 1979, taking over as head of the Quds Force in 1998.
He was considered to be one of the most powerful figures in the country, masterminding Iranian intelligence and military operations abroad.
Outside of war-games he was considered to be even more pivotal, with commentators comparing his role to that of US Vice President, Mike Pence.
He is thought to have directly reported to Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader.
He gained a mysterious reputation, and was reported to have survived many assassination attempts - he was also pictured several times out of uniform and protective gear on the battlefield.
In 2019 he was awarded the Order of Zolfiqar medal - Iran's highest military honour.
Israel, the US and Saudi Arabia were closely following his movements as he cultivated Iran's military influence in the Middle East, with the US believing he was behind attacks on Americans staying in the region.
How did Qasem Soleimani die?
He was killed at Baghdad airport by a US air strike, personally approved by Donald Trump.
Two missiles fired from a MQ9 Reaper drone struck Soleimani after he disembarked from an aircraft at Baghdad airport.
The Pentagon justified the assassination, saying General Soleimani was "actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region".
The drone strike came days after protesters attacked the US embassy in Baghdad, clashing with US forces at the scene.
The Pentagon said Soleimani approved the attacks on the embassy.
Minutes before the statement President Trump tweeted a US flag without comment.
WORLD NEWS
Will his death cause World War 3?
Tensions have reached an all time high - with many people fearing that a war is on the cards.
Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei promised "harsh vengeance", "jihad" and "crushing revenge" against 35 US targets they have pinpointed in the wake of General Qasem Soleimani death.
Trump responded to the Iranian threats, saying he will unleash $2trillion worth of new military equipment if US bases are targeted.
Searches for "World War 3" also spiked on Google within hours of the airstrike in Iraq.
Google Trends recorded "Iran" as the most searched term in the UK, with more than 1 million searches for the topic.
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