Currents News Staff
The Iranian National Security council is holding an urgent session Friday, Jan 3. This comes in the aftermath of the U.S. taking responsibility for an attack that killed two Iranian officials – one of whom was the commander of the country’s Islamic revolutionary guards Quds force.
President Trump tweeted an image of the American flag without comment Thursday night. But the Pentagon confirms the President ordered the strike that killed Qasem Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s Quds force.
“My question to the Americans is ‘What’s your plan for keeping Iraq stable after pulling this off?’”, said Feisal Istrabadi of the Center for the Study of the Middle East at Indiana University.
According to a Pentagon statement, the U.S. took “decisive defensive action to protect U.S. personnel abroad” by killing Soleimani.
Democrats expressed concern about legalities of the strike. “Obviously we need to do what’s necessary to protect the lives of Americans but unfortunately actions this administration has taken for weeks and months now have taken a difficult situation and made it much worse,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen from Maryland.
Republicans heaped praise on President Trump. Lindsey Graham tweeted “I appreciate President Donald Trump’s bold action against Iranian aggression. To the Iranian government: if you want more, you will get more.”
The Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran tweeted the attack was “extremely dangerous and a foolish escalation.” and that “the U.S. Bears responsibility for all consequences.”
“This is a direct action between the United States against a senior military commander of Iran. It’s isn’t a proxy war anymore,” said Istrabadi.