Iran has scrambled F-14 fighter planes after pledging "crushing revenge" on the US amid growing fears of a fresh war in the Middle East.

Tehran's state-run news agency have announced the warplanes are in the air and patrolling the countries borders following the killing Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in an airstrike Iran claims left 25 people dead.

Fears of war are now growing across the region following Iran being accused killing of a US military contractor and then allegedly being behind the storming of the US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq.

Soleimani, who was widely seen as the second most powerful man in Iran, was targeted while driving in a convoy at the airport in what is believed to have been a helicopter attack.

Pictures from the scene show his wrecked vehicle on fire and completely destroyed following the strike which is said to have been personally ordered by US President Donald Trump.

Qassem Soleimani was blown up in a US strike

Tensions have been raging between the two countries ever since Trump opted to axe the so-called nuclear deal, plunging relations to new lows between Tehran and Washington.

Iran's defence minister Amir Hatami promised a "crushing revenge" in response to the assassination.

"A crushing revenge will be taken for Soleimani’s unjust assassination," Hatami said.

"We will take revenge from all those involved and responsible for his assassination."

Trump's attack is expected to draw severe Iranian retaliation against but the US and Israel – and potentially spark a new Gulf War.

Qassem Soleimani's vehicle after the strike

Pentagon officials said Soleimani was "actively developing" plans to attack US diplomats and troops across the Middle East.

Soleimani, who has led the foreign arm of the Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards and has had a key role in fighting in Syria and Iraq.

He was regarded as one of the most powerful men in Iran and had been instrumental in spreading the nation's web of proxy terror networks.

He survived several assassination attempts against him by the West, Israel and other nations in the Middle East over the past two decades.

Iranian forces are on the move

Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei has vowed to avenge the killing of Soleimani in a new escalation between Washington and Tehran.

In a statement, he said: "Harsh vengeance awaits the criminals that got his and other martyrs' blood on their evil hands in last night's incident."

Khamenei declared three days of mourning for the death and that of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was also killed in the strike.

Iranian president Hassan Rouhani said: "Without a doubt, the great Iranian nation and other free nations in the region will take revenge on criminal America for this ghastly crime."

Protesters burn a US flag after the attack on Hezbollah brigades

In a statement, the Pentagon said: "General Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region.



