The Iranian general killed in Thursday’s drone strike had plans to target American officials in the Middle East, which triggered the drone strike order.
Qassem Soleimani was killed in a drone strike ordered by Trump after weeks of escalating tensions including the death of an American contractor and an attack on the U.S. embassy in Iraq. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated that there was an “imminent threat” against Americans in the region but did not disclose what that threat was.
An unnamed Congressional source who was “briefed by the Trump administration” told CNN that the attacks planned by Soleimani were focused on harming American personnel and assets in the region. Host Jim Sciutto said the source told him, “The Iranian general who the U.S. killed in last night’s airstrike was planning specific attacks on the interests of the U.S. around the region. This includes U.S. personnel in the region.”
He added, “Another official familiar with the intelligence behind this attack suggest[ed] that these plans were maturing and that became a strategic time to take out Soleimani. We should note, as well, that a source with knowledge says the attacks on U.S. personnel were being plotted in the region and described that concern as being beyond the normal chatter in the region about such plots. In other words, they were moving forward to a direction and a degree that concerned U.S. officials that attacks would be imminent.”
The report confirms the few details shared directly by Pompeo and clarified that Soleimani’s attack was not planned to hit the mainland United States.
Soleimani was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American soldiers over the past few decades. He was one of the highest-ranking generals in Iran, prompting Iran’s supreme leader to vow counterattacks against the U.S.
