—As U.S. Defends Killing Iranian General, Soleimani

A fresh airstrike, targeting high-profile members of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias, has been reported.

The PMF members were travelling in a three-car convoy north of Baghdad, when the strike occurred, killing six persons, multiple reports said.

Three other persons were critically injured. No one has claimed responsibility for the strike.

But Reuters reported that the Iraqi State TV said the latest strike was also done by the US.

The United States claimed responsibility for the air strike on Friday that killed Iranian military leader, General Qassem Soleimani and the deputy leader of PMF.

One unconfirmed report said Qais Khazali, one of the people the US named as responsible for storming its Embassy in Baghdad, has been killed in the new Baghdad airstrike

Meanwhile, the U.S. says Iranian general, Soleimani’s killing was ‘defensive action’

The U.S. killed Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in a “defensive action,” the Pentagon says.

“At the direction of the President, the U.S. military has taken decisive defensive action to protect U.S. personnel abroad by killing Qassem Soleimani,” the Pentagon statement says.

The Pentagon says Soleimani was “actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region.”

“General Soleimani also approved the attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad that took place this week,” the statement continues.

The U.S. also held Soleimani and his Quds Force responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members and said he “orchestrated” a rocket attack on Dec. 27, which killed an American. (dpa/NAN)