Thousands of mourners in Baghdad have joined the funeral procession for Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, Iraqi paramilitary commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and several others killed in a US air strike in Iraq's capital, Baghdad.

The powerful paramilitary group Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation Forces, or PMF) planned an elaborate funeral procession for Soleimani, al-Muhandis and the others who were killed, starting in Baghdad, moving to the Shia holy city of Karbala and ending in the holy city of Najaf later on Saturday.

The air strike was authorised by US President Donald Trump and signalled an escalation in tensions between the US and Iran.