US Fears Iran’s Response on Martyr Soleimani’s Assassination: We’ll React

By Staff, Agencies 

The commander of the so-called United States’ terrorist forces in West Asia cautioned Iran's reprisal on the anniversary of the assassination of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, the Islamic Republic’s top anti-terror military official, in a US drone strike.

"We are prepared to defend ourselves, our friends, and partners in the region, and we're prepared to react if necessary," said General Kenneth McKenzie, head of the US Central Command [CENTCOM] that has been designated by the Islamic Republic as a terrorist entity. 

Addressing a small group of journalists during a tour of the region on Sunday, McKenzie underscored: "My assessment is we are in a very good position and we'll be prepared for anything the Iranians or their proxies acting for them might choose to do.”

His tour was also not announced in advance. Similarly, visits last week by General Mark Milley, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, to a whole host of regional countries were kept secret until he had left the region.

France's AFP news agency described the secrecy surrounding the regional stopovers by the military top brass as “an apparent sign of US military leaders' concerns about Iranian intentions” in the run-up to the January 3 anniversary of the assassination.

Still commenting on the issue of the US’s wariness about the potential of more Iranian counterattacks, McKenzie said, "I talk to my commanders about it every day and I think we will be ready."