BAGHDAD, 6th
January 2019 -Qasem
Soleimani, Iranian Major general of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
(IRGC), and his Deputy General, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, have been killed by an
unmanned MQ-9 ‘hunter-killer’ drone sent from the US Central Command
headquarters in Qatar. The Daily Mail, citing Local militia commander Abu
Muntather al-Hussaini, says that two missiles hit the car carrying Soleimani,
62, and al-Muhandis, 66. The second car was struck by a single missile at the
Baghdad International airport. An engineer was also among those killed.
According to the Daily Mail, the 230mph drone, piloted by a two-man crew
hundreds of miles away, can carry out precision strikes and relay images of the
attack to commanders anywhere in the world. The $64million Reaper carries four
laser-guided Hellfire missiles with 38lb warheads capable of destroying a tank,
along with Paveway bombs.
It seems clear that the
Americans have used the Qatari land to operates the killing of Soleimani.
Aviation experts said its flight was ‘nearly silent’, meaning its intended
victims would have had little or no warning of its approach. A Gulf newspaper
reported the strike involved modified Hellfire R9X ‘Ninja’ missiles, which have
warheads with pop-out spinning blades designed to minimise collateral damage.
The MQ-9 ‘hunter-killer’ drone was departed from Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
Precision drone strikes rely on detailed intelligence, and Soleimani was kept
under near-constant surveillance from the al-Udeid US Air Base. In its
statement, the Pentagon said: ‘At the direction of the President, the US
military has taken decisive defensive action to protect US personnel abroad by
killing Qasem Soleimani. This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian
attack plans.’ The details revealed by local militia commander Abu Muntather
al-Hussaini confirm the strike was carried out by the Joint Special Operations
Command. That’s explain why the Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, called Qatar
deputy PM and Foreign Minister, Mohammed Al-Thani, to thank him. Pompeo
revealed in a tweet, few hours after the attack, that USA are thankful to Qatar
for its "solidarity in the face of Iran's malign regional influence,
including the December, 31 attack on the US Embassy in Baghdad".
The Al-Udeid Air Base, home
to scores of aircraft, including fighters, bombers, tankers and reconnaissance
planes, is part of the military relationship between USA and Qatar, expanded rapidly
in the 1990s and early part of the 21st century. From its building the Qataris
encouraged the United States to use Al-Udeid Air Base as its headquarters for
the Air Forces Central Command and the Combined Air and Space Operations Room.
Doha is a major customer for the US Défense industry, including last 2017's
purchase of $12 billion worth of F-15s. Other recent purchases include $20
million worth of Javelin guided missiles, $700 million in logistics support
services and equipment, and an estimated $200 million in weapons systems.
Comments
Post a Comment