The most powerful military commander of Iran, General Qassem, has been killed by a US drone attack at the Iraq International Airport. General Qassem Soleimani was the head of the Quds Force of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, who have confirmed his death.

Iran has vowed to avenge the death of its General, whose death was executed by President Trump, says the US State Department.

Related: Trump’s compassion once averted war with Iran

According to reports, some other Iranian backed commanders were also killed in the attack.

The General had a decisive role in the Iranian government’s external operations. His Quds Force is only answerable to the Supreme Leader of Iran, and the General was considered a “hero” in the country.

Related: Iran gains strategic influence in the Middle East through its Quds Force

While declaring three-day national mourning, the Supreme Leader vowed to avenge the death of the “hero”.

His death in a US drone attack comes amid the times when the pro-Iranian groups attacked the US embassy in Iraq.

His killing has led to the oil price hike in the international market by 4%. The experts have suggested the US act would contribute to the chaos and confusion in the already volatile middle eastern region.

Attack on Baghdad Airport

According to the US media reports, General Qassem was coming out of Baghdad’s International Airport as he was attacked.

The US drone targeted several missiles on the two cars, which, including Quds General, killed five people. According to the Revolutionary Guards of Iran, the Iraqi militia commander, Abu Mahdi al-Muhndis, is also among those killed.

The Pentagon stated that the “US military has taken decisive defensive action to protect its personnel abroad by killing Soleimani”. It said the orders came from the President as a preemptive measure.

Iran’s Response

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khomenei, said harsh revenge awaited the “criminals” who killed the general.

The Foreign Minister, Jawad Zarif, has termed the US act as the “global terrorism”. He said that General Qassem and the Quds Force were the most effective force in the region against the threats of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, al-Nusra, and al-Qaeda.

A former commander of the Revolutionary Guards, Mohsin Razzai, said that Iran would avenge the US act.

Also, the spokesman of the Iranian government has said that the most crucial meeting of the national security will convene today.

US President Trump had posted the picture of the US flag on Twitter, drawing the Iranian reactions, several of whom posted the image of the Iranian flag.

Analysis

General Qassem was one of the most influential individuals of Iran; some even call him more powerful than the President of Iran.

His killing will certainly not go unprovoked, and it might lead to escalation to an unprecedented scale between Iran and the US.

The General was perceived to have a mouthpiece of Iran’s regional policies, from its regime-stabilizing role in Syria to destabilizing role in Iraq.

After the recent pro-Iranian attacks on the US embassy in Iraq, President had perhaps hinted at this move in his casual way. He had said to Iran that it’s not a warning but a threat.

Until the killing of the General, neither Iran nor the US had come out of its comfort zone. However, the US drone attack on the most important individual of Iran. Some say he was the second most influential after Khomenei.

Obviously, his assassination will not go unnoticed by Iran. Perhaps, it is a US tactic to draw Iran to an open battlefield.