The U.S. government fears that Iranian forces or proxies will attack U.S. interests on or around Sunday, Jan. 3. That date is the first anniversary of the U.S. military strike that killed Qassem Soleimani.
An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps general, Soleimani commanded that organization’s covert action wing, the Quds Force. In turn, Soleimani’s assassination sparked fury among the hard-liner elite who hold ultimate authority over Iran’s foreign policy. They want to avenge Soleimani with the spilling of American blood in some significant way. To counter that threat, the United States has made repeated public announcements in recent weeks of U.S. military deployments proximate to Iran. Concerns that Iran will target Secretary of State Mike Pompeo after the Trump administration leaves office have also led to an extension of Pompeo’s protective detail.
