Contemporary · Middle East · War

2020

Soleimani killed in Baghdad

January 3, 2020

An American drone strike at Baghdad airport killed Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's Quds Force and the architect of its regional proxy strategy. Iran fired ballistic missiles at U.S. bases in Iraq days later and a Ukrainian airliner over Tehran was mistakenly shot down. War seemed possible for a long week.

More from 2020 Contemporary

In context

Also in 2020 (10 other events on record)

WHO declares COVID a pandemic · Europe · Disaster
First COVID vaccinations · Europe · Science
Murder of George Floyd · North America · Politics
Hong Kong national security law · East Asia · Politics
Crew Dragon takes humans to orbit · North America · Science
AlphaFold solves protein folding · Europe · Science

Before and after in Middle East

Before: October 2, 2018: Khashoggi murdered in Istanbul
After: March 23, 2021: Ever Given blocks the Suez

Before and after in War

Before: August 25, 2017: Rohingya cleansed from Rakhine
After: August 15, 2021: Taliban return to Kabul

Era

Contemporary (2001–2026), one of 196 events from that era on Saeculum.

Sources

Wikipedia: Qasem Soleimani