Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a veteran Iraqi terrorist who was closely allied with Iran and rose to be a senior terrorist commander during the war against the Islamic State group, was killed overnight Friday in a U.S. strike that also felled Iran’s top general.
Al-Muhandis was the deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces, an umbrella group of mostly Shiite paramilitaries. He was also the founder of the Kataeb Hezbollah, or Hezbollah Brigades. The U.S. blamed the group, which is separate from the Lebanese Hezbollah movement, for a rocket attack in northern Iraq last week that killed a U.S. contractor.
The militias, many of which are backed by Iran and trace their roots back to the Shiite insurgency against U.S. forces following the 2003 invasion, mobilized in 2014 when the Islamic State group swept across northern and western Iraq.
https://worldisraelnews.com/iraqi-militant-killed-alongside-soleimani-worked-with-iran-for-decades/
Israel’s military on high alert
Syria condemns killing of Soleimani - state news agency
Iraq’s Sadr mourns Soleimani, reactivates Mahdi army
Pro-Hezbollah newspaper Al-Akhbar: ‘It is war’
Former top Iranian commander: ‘We will take vigorous revenge’
Khamenei warns of harsh revenge
Top House Democrats: Strikes not authorised by Congress
“American leaders’ highest priority is to protect American lives and interests. But we cannot put the lives of American servicemembers, diplomats and others further at risk by engaging in provocative and disproportionate actions,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
“Tonight’s air strike risks provoking further dangerous escalation of violence. America - and the world - cannot afford to have tensions escalate to the point of no return,” she added. “The Administration has conducted tonight’s strikes in Iraq targeting high-level Iranian military officials and killing Iranian Quds Force Commander Qasem Soleimani without an Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against Iran. Further, this action was taken without the consultation of the Congress.”
She called for a briefing on the situation.
Another top Democrat, Adam Schiff, took to Twitter, saying the “American people don’t want a war with Iran”.
Oil prices surge after Soleimani’s killing
Pompeo tweets video he says is of Iraqis dancing in the streets
More..,.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/01/iran-tensions-latest-updates-200103022407743.html
Turkey’s parliament approves military deployment to Libya
Erdogan is eager to support UN-recognised gov’t in Tripoli as it faces renewed threat from military commander Haftar.
Following the announcement, US President Donald Trump warned Erdogan against any “interference” in Libya in a telephone call.
Trump “pointed out that foreign interference is complicating the situation in Libya,” White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said in a statement.
Alongside an increase in the number of UAE air raids in support of Haftar, the Russian developments seem to have emboldened Erdogan and hastened Turkey’s intervention, which in the past was limited to the sale of military equipment.
“It wouldn’t be right for us to remain silent against all of this,” Erdogan said in December, referring to the presence of Russian fighters
Haftar, who enjoys the support of a rival administration in the east, says he wants to restore order in the war-torn country.
But critics fear the strongman will plunge the country back into authoritarianism.
For the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt, key backers of the onetime Gaddafi loyalist, the 76-year-old represents a bulwark against political Islam that some in Tripoli have espoused.
Analysts said ideological sympathies play a minor role in Ankara’s decision to intervene in Libya.
“If look at a map of the Mediterranean, you’ll see that to Turkey’s west, Greece, Cyprus and Egypt are forming a sort of chokehold,” said Sami Hamdi, a political analyst and editor in chief of the International Interest. “They’re increasingly concerned that Turkey is becoming a major player.”