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Miami, FL — U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement after a U.S. airstrike killed Iranian terrorist, Qassem Soleimani:

“In ordering this attack, President Trump took decisive and defensive action to protect American lives and our nation’s interest in the region before Soleimani and Iranian terrorist proxies could carry out additional attacks against U.S. facilities in the Middle East. Qassem Soleimani was an active enemy combatant and de facto commander of Iran’s global terrorist proxy network, who was directly responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Americans and continued to plot attacks against U.S. diplomats and American service members.

“Iran may attempt to retaliate by targeting U.S. military bases or naval ships deployed to the region. However, Iran’s Supreme Leader should think carefully before escalating. The regime in Tehran has long been and continues to be the world’s leading exporter of terrorism. Soleimani had American blood on his hands, and his continued threat to U.S. interests, stability in the Middle East, and his direct links to terrorism brought him to his fate. His death helps to bring some measure of justice for the many American servicemen and women who were killed or severely injured by Iranian-backed attacks in Iraq. The Iranian regime cannot be allowed to continue to export terrorism and malign influence throughout the Middle East and beyond, and this action sends the clearest possible message to Iran’s leaders.”