After news that one of Iran’s top military commanders was killed in a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad, several Democrats voiced their concern that the move could further escalate tensions with Tehran and increases the risk of armed conflict.
On Thursday, Qasim Soleimani — the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard’s Quds Force — was killed in an airstrike near Baghdad International Airport.
In a statement, the Department of Defense said President Donald Trump authorized the strike that morning.
“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 Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.”
The strike comes two days after hundreds of protesters stormed the U.S. embassy compound in Baghdad, and vowed to stay camped outside the compound until American personnel left the country. But they shortly left without accomplishing their goal.
In the aftermath of the protests at the embassy, the Defense Department sought to deter any future attacks on American personnel or interests.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper told reporters on Thursday morning that the U.S. is “prepared to do what is necessary to defend our personnel and our interests and our partners in the region,” as IJR has previously reported.
While some Congressional Republicans cheered the news of Soleimani’s death, Congressional Democrats and presidential contenders voiced their concerns about the potential fallout of the strike.
Check out the reactions below:
After the strike, Iran vowed to seek “severe revenge” for the death of Soleimani.