Head of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force and Iran's top general, Qasem Soleimani, was killed in the American airstrike in Baghdad.
As the US Department of Defense officially stated, the “decisive defensive action to protect U.S. personnel” was ordered by President Donald Trump.
According to the Iraqi media, the head of the Iranian-backed Popular Mobilization Forces Abu Mahdi Muhandis was killed as well.
"General Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region. General Soleimani and his Quds Force were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members and the wounding of thousands more. He had orchestrated attacks on coalition bases in Iraq over the last several months – including the attack on December 27th – culminating in the death and wounding of additional American and Iraqi personnel. General Soleimani also approved the attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad that took place this week.
This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans," the Pentagon statement read.
The airstrike, however, provoked a promise of "crushing revenge" from Iran. According to CBS News, the US Department of State told Americans to immediately leave Iran.
Democrats and Republicans, in turn, have divided over the issue.