Iran's General Qasem Soleimani, 62, spearheaded Iran's military operations in the Middle East as head of the country's elite Quds Force.
He joined the Revolutionary Guards - who have been declared a foreign terrorist organisation by the US - in 1979, taking over as head of the Quds Force in 1998.
He was considered to be one of the most powerful figures in the country, masterminding Iranian intelligence and military operations abroad.
Outside of war-games he was considered to be even more pivotal, with commentators comparing his role to that of US Vice President, Mike Pence.
He is thought to have directly reported to Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader.
He gained a mysterious reputation, and was reported to have survived many assassination attempts - he was also pictured several times out of uniform and protective gear on the battlefield.
In 2019 he was awarded the Order of Zolfiqar medal - Iran's highest military honour.
Israel, the US and Saudi Arabia were closely following his movements as he cultivated Iran's military influence in the Middle East, with the US believing he was behind attacks on Americans staying in the region.
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