The strike killed five people, including the pro-Iranian chief of an umbrella group for Iraqi militias, Iraqi television reported and militia officials confirmed. 'If we get word of attacks, we will take preemptive action as well to protect American forces, protect American lives,' said Esper. military was willing and ready to undertake pre-emptive strikes against Iranian-backed militants in Iraq, a reaction to protests Tuesday outside of the American embassy in Baghdad that paralyzed the 104-acre complex. The strike came less than 24 hours after acting Secretary of Defense Mark Esper told reporters that the U.S. Cautious to overstate the potential but it’s hard to ignore that targeting Soleimani is an explicit act of war.
The Trump administration just plunged the region into a likely massive sectarian and bloody crisis - and along with it, this country.
