World War 3: Is World War 3 happening? Has WW3 been …

World War 3 fears ignited yesterday after a US-led airstrike killed Irans most decorated military leader Qassem Soleimani. The strike, which took place in Baghdad as the general left the capital citys airport in an escort, has prompted a severe reaction from Irans leadership, who promised swift revenge against US aggressors.

Iran has realised its threats of retaliation against the US by firing 22 missiles at two military bases shared by the country and coalition personnel.

The attack, which the Iranian Revolutionary Guard has since taken responsibility for, is not thought to have killed anyone.

Officials continue to search the affected buildings, and Donald Trump seemed unperturbed by the attack.

Taking to Twitter yesterday he said: "All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq.

"Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now.

"So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well-equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I

"will be making a statement tomorrow morning."

In the wake of the US drone strike, World War 3 is trending on Twitter, with millions worried the assassination could spark a chain of events ending in full-scale combat.

General Soleimanis death was as a decisive blow for Iran, which lost both its top military strategist and one of its most influential political figures.

The general led the Quds unit of the Iranian revolutionary guard, a shadowy military intelligence outfit responsible for extending Irans influence aboard.

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Back home in Iran, he was considered second only to the countrys Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, and people saw him as a viable candidate to become the next Iranian President.

Iran has reacted with severity to the loss of the treasured military leader, promising swift revenge on the US.

The countrys President, Hassan Rouhani, vowed Iran would continue to resist American expansionism and take revenge on the dead generals behalf.

The Pentagon branded the attack self-defence, claiming General Soleimani was plotting an attack on American soil.

According to analysts, the drone strike all but forces Iran to retaliate, but revenge will likely come on a smaller scale.

Counter-attacks will likely aim to damage the US via its presence in the Middle East and discourage any future insurrections against Iran.

However, they will likely fall short of all-out war, adding another notch to the tit-for-tat exchange ongoing between the country over the past four years.

American goals are equally opaque, with statements suggesting US attacks are wholly preventative, but senior officials hinting at more comprehensive objectives against the country in the Middle East.

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A future clash between Iran and the US threatens to draw in other world powers, and allies of both countries have already weighed in following Soleimanis assassination.

Russia, a strategic ally of Iran, condemned yesterdays strike amid Tehrans pledge for revenge.

Sergei Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister, told US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo the strike was an illegal power move.

However, Russia stopped short of pledging military backing to a future Iranian retaliation, as Mr Lavrov called for dialogue between the feuding countries.

Donald Trump insisted the airstrike would stop another war.

Speaking yesterday, the President said: What the United States did yesterday should have been done long ago. A lot of lives would have been saved.

Just recently, Soleimani led the brutal repression of protesters in Iran, where more than 1,000 innocent civilians were tortured and killed by their own government.

We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war.

Donald Trump has since confirmed the US is ready to retaliate against any Iranian attack, stating in a Twitter post there were 52 sites the US may target in future.

He added the sites would be hit very fast and very hard.

He wrote: Iran is talking very boldly about targeting certain USA assets as revenge for our ridding the world of their terrorist leader who had just killed an American, badly wounded many others, not to mention all of the people he had killed over his lifetime including recently hundreds of Iranian protestors.

He was already attacking our Embassy, and preparing for additional hits in other locations.

Iran has been nothing but problems for many years.

Let this serve as a WARNING that if Iran strikes any Americans, or American assets, we have targeted 52 Iranian sites (representing the 52 American hostages taken by Iran many years ago), some at a very high level & important to Iran & the Iranian culture, and those targets, and Iran itself, WILL BE HIT VERY FAST AND VERY HARD.

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World War 3: Is World War 3 happening? Has WW3 been ...