EXCLUSIVE NEW REPORTING. >>> THE STRIKE KILLING SOLEIMANI

>>> THE STRIKE KILLING SOLEIMANI WAS A MAJOR ESCALATION IN THE

WAS A MAJOR ESCALATION IN THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST IRAN.

CAMPAIGN AGAINST IRAN. THAT CAN RELIED ON CRIPPLING

THAT CAN RELIED ON CRIPPLING ECONOMIC SANCTIONS.

ECONOMIC SANCTIONS. HOW DO WE GET FROM ECONOMIC

HOW DO WE GET FROM ECONOMIC PRESSURE TO MILITARY MIGHT?

PRESSURE TO MILITARY MIGHT? >> TENSIONS WITH IRAN HAVE REACH

>> TENSIONS WITH IRAN HAVE REACH AID FEVER PITCH.

AID FEVER PITCH. THE LAST WEEK HAS SEEN A SERIES

THE LAST WEEK HAS SEEN A SERIES OF ESCALATED EVENTS THAT HAVE

OF ESCALATED EVENTS THAT HAVE BROUGHT US TO WHERE WE ARE

BROUGHT US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.

TODAY. SO, LET'S CHECK THE TIME LINE

SO, LET'S CHECK THE TIME LINE AND MARK THE MAJOR MOMENTS

AND MARK THE MAJOR MOMENTS STARTING WITH FRIDAY DECEMBER

STARTING WITH FRIDAY DECEMBER 27th WHEN A U.S. CONTRACTOR IS

27th WHEN A U.S. CONTRACTOR IS KILLED AND OTHER SERVICE MEMBERS

KILLED AND OTHER SERVICE MEMBERS ARE WOUNDED DURING A ROCKET

ARE WOUNDED DURING A ROCKET ATTACK ON A MILITARY BASE IN

ATTACK ON A MILITARY BASE IN NORTHERN IRAQ.

NORTHERN IRAQ. THEN TWO DAYS LATER ON DECEMBER

THEN TWO DAYS LATER ON DECEMBER 29th, THE U.S. CARRIES OUT AIR

29th, THE U.S. CARRIES OUT AIR STRIKES AND IRAN BACKED MILITIAS

STRIKES AND IRAN BACKED MILITIAS IN SYRIA WITH U.S. OFFICIALS

IN SYRIA WITH U.S. OFFICIALS BLAMED FOR ATTACKS, INCLUDING

BLAMED FOR ATTACKS, INCLUDING THE ONE ON DECEMBER 27th.

THE ONE ON DECEMBER 27th. AT LEAST 25 MILITIA FIGHTERS ARE

AT LEAST 25 MILITIA FIGHTERS ARE KILLED IN THE STRIKES.

KILLED IN THE STRIKES. THEN ON DECEMBER 31st, THOUSANDS

THEN ON DECEMBER 31st, THOUSANDS OF PRO-IRAN PROTESTERS STORMED

OF PRO-IRAN PROTESTERS STORMED THE U.S. EMBASSY IN BAGHDAD TO

THE U.S. EMBASSY IN BAGHDAD TO DEMONSTRATE AGAINST THE AIR

DEMONSTRATE AGAINST THE AIR STRIKE.

STRIKE. THEY TRIED BURNING DOWN ENTRY

THEY TRIED BURNING DOWN ENTRY GATES REACHING THE RECEPTION

GATES REACHING THE RECEPTION AREA.

AREA. TRUMP BLAMES IRAN FOR THE BREAK

TRUMP BLAMES IRAN FOR THE BREAK IN AND SAYS THEY WILL PLAY A BIG

IN AND SAYS THEY WILL PLAY A BIG PRICE.

PRICE. >> THIS WILL NEVER EVER BE A

>> THIS WILL NEVER EVER BE A BENGHAZI.

BENGHAZI. >> THE NEXT DAY MARINES WORKED

>> THE NEXT DAY MARINES WORKED TOGETHER TO SECURE THE AREA.

TOGETHER TO SECURE THE AREA. THERE ARE NO REPORTS OF

THERE ARE NO REPORTS OF CASUALTIES, BUT DEFENSE

CASUALTIES, BUT DEFENSE SECRETARY MARK ESPER ORDERED

SECRETARY MARK ESPER ORDERED OVER 700 TROOPS TO DEPLOY TO THE

OVER 700 TROOPS TO DEPLOY TO THE AREA WITH MANY MORE ON STAND BY.

AREA WITH MANY MORE ON STAND BY. THAT BRINGS US TO THE BIGGEST

THAT BRINGS US TO THE BIGGEST EVENT OF THE WEEK, ON THURSDAY

EVENT OF THE WEEK, ON THURSDAY NIGHT U.S. TIME, QASEM SOLEIMANI

NIGHT U.S. TIME, QASEM SOLEIMANI IS KILLED BY A U.S. AIR STRIKE

IS KILLED BY A U.S. AIR STRIKE AT BAGHDAD INTERNATIONAL

AT BAGHDAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

AIRPORT. SOLEIMANI LED THE QUDS FORCE

SOLEIMANI LED THE QUDS FORCE UNDER IRAN REVOLUTIONARY GUARD

UNDER IRAN REVOLUTIONARY GUARD WHICH IS WIDELY BELIEVED TO

WHICH IS WIDELY BELIEVED TO SUPPORT TERRORIST GROUPS.

SUPPORT TERRORIST GROUPS. OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS,

OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, INCLUDING THE DECEMBER 27th

INCLUDING THE DECEMBER 27th ROCKET ATTACK.

ROCKET ATTACK. THEN THIS MORNING AYATOLLAH ALI

THEN THIS MORNING AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI SAYS THERE WILL BE

KHAMENEI SAYS THERE WILL BE HARSH RETALIATIONS.

HARSH RETALIATIONS. AND WE LEARN THAT APPROXIMATELY

AND WE LEARN THAT APPROXIMATELY 3,000 ADDITIONAL TROOPS ARE

3,000 ADDITIONAL TROOPS ARE BEING DEPLOYED TO THE MIDDLE

BEING DEPLOYED TO THE MIDDLE EAST.

EAST. >> PRESIDENT TRUMP'S DECISION TO

>> PRESIDENT TRUMP'S DECISION TO REMOVE QASEM SOLEIMANI FROM THE

REMOVE QASEM SOLEIMANI FROM THE BATTLEFIELD SAVED AMERICAN

BATTLEFIELD SAVED AMERICAN LIVES.

LIVES. HE WAS ACTUALLY PLOTTING IN THE

HE WAS ACTUALLY PLOTTING IN THE REGION TO TAKE ACTION, THE BIG

REGION TO TAKE ACTION, THE BIG ACTION AS HE DESCRIBED IT THAT

ACTION AS HE DESCRIBED IT THAT WOULD HAVE PUT DOZENS IF NOT

WOULD HAVE PUT DOZENS IF NOT HUNDREDS OF AMERICAN LIVES AT

HUNDREDS OF AMERICAN LIVES AT RISK.

RISK. >> IRAQI'S CELEBRATE THE DEATH

>> IRAQI'S CELEBRATE THE DEATH IN BAGHDAD WHILE DEMONSTRATIONS

IN BAGHDAD WHILE DEMONSTRATIONS IN TEHRAN.

IN TEHRAN. >> THIS ACTION MAY WELL HAVE

>> THIS ACTION MAY WELL HAVE BROUGHT OUR NATION CLOSER TO

BROUGHT OUR NATION CLOSER TO ANOTHER ENDLESS WAR.

ANOTHER ENDLESS WAR. >> AND AS FOR THE WHITE HOUSE,

>> AND AS FOR THE WHITE HOUSE, HERE'S WHAT THE PRESIDENT HAD TO

HERE'S WHAT THE PRESIDENT HAD TO SAY IN HIS FIRST PUBLIC

SAY IN HIS FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE AFTER THE AIR STRIKE.

APPEARANCE AFTER THE AIR STRIKE. >> WE TOOK ACTION LAST NIGHT TO

>> WE TOOK ACTION LAST NIGHT TO STOP A WAR.

STOP A WAR. WE DID NOT TAKE ACTION TO START