US sending additional troops to Middle East, Iran announces 'severe retaliation'

(Patria) – The United States announced on Friday that it will send thousands of additional military forces to the Middle East after Iran vowed 'severe retaliation' for the targeted killing of their military leader.

A spokesman for the US Department of Defense said that about 3,500 troops will be mobilized across the region to protect American interests.

Recall, in a targeted drone strike at Baghdad airport on Friday, Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, was killed. The US stated that Soleimani was 'actively planning an attack on American diplomats in Iraq and across the region'.

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that the Iranian general was killed to 'stop a war', and that the US is 'prepared' for a response. Trump added that Soleimani was planning 'imminent and sinister attacks'. 'We caught him in the act and destroyed him', Trump said.

At the same time, the US president stated that the US does not want a 'regime change' in Tehran.

Following the killing, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that 'severe revenge' is coming. He also summoned the Swiss envoy, who represents US interests in Iran, on two occasions, and during one of the visits, handed him a letter for the US.

Thousands of Iranians took to the streets after Friday prayers protesting the killing.

The killing drastically escalated tensions between the two countries, which have been rising since 2015 when Trump withdrew from the so-called nuclear deal with Iran and other signatories.

The situation has increased fears of the conflict spreading in the region, prompting world powers to urge both sides to de-escalate tensions.

Iraq found itself at the center of the Iran-US conflict, with Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi condemning the attack as an 'aggression' on the country. An emergency parliamentary session is planned for Sunday to make decisions on 'stopping the American presence in Iraq', reports Euronews.

There are currently about 5,200 US troops in Iraq training local forces to fight ISIL.

Iraqi President Barham Salih called for the 'voice of reason and wisdom to prevail, bearing in mind Iraq's higher goals'.

Meanwhile, the US is divided over the assassination decision – while Republicans support Trump's decision, Democrats believe that instead of a unilateral assassination decision that poses a risk to American citizens in the region, Soleimani should have been brought to justice.