Assassination of Qasem Soleimani

2020 Baghdad International Airport airstrike
Part of the American-led interventions in Iraq (Operation Inherent Resolve) and the 2019–2020 Persian Gulf crisis
The car that Qassem Soleimani was riding in at the time of his martyrdom
Type	Drone strike
Location	Baghdad, Iraq
Target	Iran Popular Mobilization Forces
Date	3 January 2020 (2020-01-03)
Executed by	United States
Outcome	Deaths of Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis
Casualties	At least 7[1]–10 killed

On 3 January 2020, the United States Air Force launched an airstrike against a convoy traveling near Baghdad International Airport that was carrying several passengers, including Iranian Major General and IRGC Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

Several missiles reportedly struck the convoy. Five Iranians and five Iraqis were killed.^[2]

In response to the killing of Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Iran launched attacks against the United States and Iraq kicked out American soldiers from the country.^[3][4] Donald Trump, the president at the time, said that Soleimani was killed because he had an arrest warrant for terrorism put out by Ayatollah Khamenei.^[5]

References

1. "Iran's General Soleimani Killed in Airstrike at Baghdad Airport". Associated Press. 2 January 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
2. "Top Iranian general killed by US in Iraq". BBC. 3 January 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
3. Hjelmgaard, Kim. "Iraq votes to expel U.S. troops after Iran Gen. Qasem Soleimani's killing". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
4. "Iran Has Vowed Revenge Against the U.S. for Killing Qasem Soleimani. Here's What May Happen Next". TIME. 2020-01-04. Retrieved 2024-01-04.
5. "Qasem Soleimani: Iran seeks Trump's arrest over killing of general". 2020-06-29. Retrieved 2024-01-05.