Qassem Soleimani

Born in Mashhad, 61-year-old Brig.-Gen. Esmail Qaani received his military training at the Imam Ali Officers Academy in Tehran. He joined the IRGC in his early 20s.

The Islamists in Hamburg praised Soleimani as a "heroic martyr."

The former general called the assassination a “very significant effort to reestablish deterrence,” which had not been built up by the “relatively insignificant” responses that have been carried out.

Muhandis not only founded Kataib Hezbollah, but transformed the paramilitary Popular Mobilization Unit into an official force capable of projecting power throughout Iraq and into Syria.

"If [US President Donald] Trump retaliates to Iran’s revenge, we will strike Haifa, Tel Aviv and wipe out Israel," said Mohsen Rezaei.

The killing puts Pakistan, which is majority Sunni Muslim but has a large Shi'ite minority and is anxious to avoid any regional upheaval, in a sensitive position.

On Sunday, the mountain resort's staff teased its Facebook followers by posting a video of vehicles clearing snow and cleaning the area, saying that preparations were underway.

The scale of the crowds in Tehran shown on television mirrored the masses that gathered in 1989 for the funeral of the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

It’s the latest in a series of Iranian announcements, in which it has renounced portions of the 2015 deal to curb its nuclear program.

Iraqi Kataib Hezbollah Brigades warned Iraqi security forces to be at least 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) away from all American bases starting Sunday evening.