U.S. officials say Soleimani's death could deter Iranian violence

Iranian guards hold a picture of the late Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, during a protest against the killing of Soleimani, head of the elite Quds Force, and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who were killed in an air strike at Baghdad airport, in front of United Nation office in Tehran, Iran January 3, 2020. WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Nazanin Tabatabaee via REUTERS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. officials said the U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani on Friday might deter, rather than provoke, Iranian violence against U.S. targets despite Tehran's vow of retaliation.

Speaking to reporters, the officials cast the strike that killed Soleimani as an act of self defence against imminent attacks that could have killed hundreds of Americans in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and elsewhere.