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Footage filmed in the early hours of Friday shows crowds gathering in the streets of the Iraqi capital to celebrate the attack ordered by US President Donald Trump, marching and waving Iraqi flags. The strike also killed the deputy head of the Iran-backed Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

Reacting to the news, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said: "All enemies should know that the jihad of resistance will continue with a doubled motivation and a definite victory awaits the fighters in the holy war." Iran often refers to regional countries and forces opposed to Israel and the United States as a "resistance" front. In a statement later, cited by state media, Khamenei appointed the deputy commander of the Quds Force, Brigadier General Esmail Ghaani, to head the force and said the force "will be unchanged from the time of his predecessor". READ MORE: Trump's horrifying Iran war prediction exposed

Irqi protesters celebrating for death of General Qasem Soleimani

US-Iran war: General Qasem Soleimani was killed on Friday

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani echoed the Ayatollah's statement. He said: "Soleimani's martyrdom will make Iran more decisive to resist America's expansionism and to defend our Islamic values. "With no doubt, Iran and other freedom-seeking countries in the region will take his revenge." Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi also condemned on Friday the "assassination" of Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a US airstrike in Baghdad.

The airstrike on Baghdad airport is an act of aggression on Iraq and breach of its sovereignty that will lead to war in Iraq, the region, and the world, he said in a statement. The strike also violated the conditions of US military presence in Iraq and should be met with legislation that safeguards Iraq's security and sovereignty, he added. He called on parliament to convene in an extraordinary session. US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, condemned the airstrike and claimed the US President took the decision without consulting the Congress first. She said: "Tonight's airstrike risks provoking further dangerous escalation of violence. America - and the world - cannot afford to have tensions escalate to the point of no return." DON'T MISS:

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