|

US officials confirm responsibility for missile attack at Baghdad airport, killing Qassim Soleimani

Strikes have been carried out against two targets linked to Iran in Baghdad on Thursday, US officials told Reuters earlier.

Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, head of the elite Quds Force, and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis were killed late on Thursday in an air strike on their convoy in Baghdad airport, an Iraqi militia spokesman told Reuters. "The American and Israeli enemy is responsible for killing the mujahideen Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Qassem Soleimani," said Ahmed al-Assadi, a spokesman for Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces umbrella grouping of Iran-backed militias.

The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, declined to give any further details, however, in more recent trade, Iraqi State TV tonight is reporting that Qassim Soleimani, leader of Iran’s Quds Force, the elite unit of the Revolutionary Guards, was killed in US airstrike near Baghdad.

Market implications

If confirmed, this could be one of the most seismic events in the Middle East in years, which has brought a threat of reprisal and should be a supporting factor for the price of oil. WTI has spiked to a session high of $61.72 on the news from a low of $61.10. 

Author

Ross J Burland

Ross J Burland, born in England, UK, is a sportsman at heart. He played Rugby and Judo for his county, Kent and the South East of England Rugby team.

More from Ross J Burland
Share:

Markets move fast. We move first.

Orange Juice Newsletter brings you expert driven insights - not headlines. Every day on your inbox.

By subscribing you agree to our Terms and conditions.

Editor's Picks

EUR/USD bears await break below 100-day SMA support near 1.1665 area

The EUR/USD pair attracts heavy selling for the second straight day and dives to a nearly four-week trough, around the 1.1670 region, during the Asian session on Monday. Bearish traders now await a sustained break below the 100-day Simple Moving Average before positioning for an extension of the recent pullback from a three-month top, or levels just above the 1.1800 mark touched on December 24.

GBP/USD falls toward 1.3400 near 50-day EMA

GBP/USD extends its losses for the second successive session, trading around 1.3420 during the Asian hours on Monday. The technical analysis of the daily chart indicates that the 14-day Relative Strength Index at 53 has eased from near overbought, indicating that momentum has cooled while remaining above the midline. RSI holds above 50, keeping a modest bullish bias.

Gold on fire at the start of the week on US-Venezuela tensions

Gold regains upside traction early Monday as flight to safety prevails on Venezuela turmoil. The US Dollar finds strong haven demand, caps Gold’s upside as focus shifts to US jobs data. Gold’s daily technical setup suggests that more upside remains in the offing.

Bulls firmly in control as Bitcoin breaks $93K, Ethereum and Ripple extend gains

Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple extended their rallies on Monday, gaining more than 4%, 6%, and 12%, respectively, in the previous week. The top three cryptocurrencies by market capitalization could continue to outperform, with bulls in control of the momentum.

Economic outlook 2026-2027 in advanced countries: Solidity test

After a year marked by global economic resilience and ending on a note of optimism, 2026 looks promising and could be a year of solid economic performance. In our baseline scenario, we expect most of the supportive factors at work in 2025 to continue to play a role in 2026.

Meme Coins Price Prediction: Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, Pepe rally on Venezuela’s shadow BTC reserve

Meme coins such as Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, and Pepe are leading the cryptocurrency market rally driven by the US cross-border operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Dogecoin extends its gain for the fifth consecutive day while SHIB and PEPE take a pause.