On January 3, 2020, the Middle East — and much of the world — awoke to news that dramatically reshaped global geopolitics: Qasem Soleimani, one of Iran’s most powerful military figures, had been killed in a U.S. airstrike near Baghdad International Airport. The targeted strike, ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump, instantly ignited fears that long-simmering tensions between Washington and Tehran could spiral into a full-scale armed conflict.
Soleimani was no ordinary military commander. As head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, a branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, he oversaw Iran’s external military and intelligence operations across the Middle East. For years, Soleimani had been the architect of Iran’s regional strategy, coordinating proxy militias in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen. To supporters in Iran, he was a national hero and symbol of resistance against American and Israeli influence. To U.S. officials, he was a terrorist mastermind responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American service members.
The strike occurred just after midnight local time as Soleimani’s convoy departed the airport. Among those killed was Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces and leader of Kataib Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia designated as a terrorist organization by the United States. The Pentagon said the operation was a defensive act aimed at preventing “imminent” attacks against American diplomats and service members in the region.
The killing followed a sharp escalation between the two countries. Days earlier, U.S. forces had carried out airstrikes against Kataib Hezbollah targets in Iraq and Syria after rocket attacks wounded American personnel. In response, pro-Iranian demonstrators breached the outer perimeter of the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad, evoking haunting images of past diplomatic crises. The Trump administration framed the decision to eliminate Soleimani as a decisive move to restore deterrence and halt a cycle of escalating violence.
Iran’s reaction was swift and furious. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared three days of national mourning and vowed “severe revenge.” Massive funeral processions swept through Iranian cities, drawing millions into the streets. Soleimani was posthumously elevated into a unifying symbol of national defiance, his image emblazoned on banners and state media broadcasts.
Internationally, the strike sent shockwaves through diplomatic and financial markets. Oil prices surged amid fears of disruptions to global energy supplies, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global oil shipments. World leaders urged restraint, warning that miscalculation could plunge the region into war. Allies expressed concern over being drawn into a conflict they had little control over, while adversaries watched closely for signs of further escalation.
Five days later, Iran responded by launching ballistic missiles at two Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops. While no American personnel were killed, dozens later reported traumatic brain injuries. Both sides appeared to step back from further immediate escalation, though the episode marked a profound turning point in U.S.–Iran relations. However, the fears of military experts of World War III quickly diminished and the president soon counted the elimination of someone who’d killed hundreds of Americans as a major foreign policy victory.
