<span style="color: #222222;">Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Quds Force, was killed in a US airstrike in Baghdad International airport. The White House and the Pentagon confirmed the killing of Soleimani in Iraq. At least eight people were killed in the attack. The Iranian state media also confirmed Soleimani's death. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said, Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was among those killed.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">In a statement the Pentagon said, at the direction of the President, the US military has taken decisive defensive action to protect US personnel abroad by killing Qasem Soleimani. The statement said, this strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">According to US media, Gen Soleimani and officials from Iran-backed militias were leaving Baghdad airport in two cars when they were hit by a US drone strike near a cargo area. Iran's foreign minister slammed the killing of Soleimani as a dangerous escalation and warned the United States would bear responsibility for the consequences.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed severe revenge after the United States killed the commander. President Hasan Rouhani said, Iran and the "free nations of the region" will take revenge for killing Revolutionary Guards commander. Iran has announced three days of public mourning, after their top commander Qasem Soleimani was killed. Tehran also summoned an official from the Swiss embassy, which represents US interests in Iran, to condemn the killing of one of its top commanders, by American forces.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The drone strike comes days after protesters attacked the US embassy in Baghdad, clashing with US forces at the scene. The Pentagon said General Soleimani approved the attacks on the embassy.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Ties between the US and Iran have deteriorated since Washington pulled out of the landmark nuclear deal with Tehran in 2018. It then reimposed crippling sanctions on Iran, aiming to choke off its oil exports.</span><br />