How long planned was the US hit?

Though officials in Washington were quick to confirm last night that it was indeed a US strike that killed Soleimani, they have been largely tight-lipped today.

Same with the White House and CIA. Everyone tight-lipped. https://t.co/LMqKQB4eYN
— Alex Marquardt (@MarquardtA) January 3, 2020

One potential slip has come from Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who has claimed prior knowledge of the op days before.

Lindsey Graham says on CNN he was briefed on last night's operation several days ago. Does that mean the US had intel that Qassem Soleimani would be flying to Baghdad several days before he did? Perhaps US had a much better handle on him than I thought. #Iraq #Baghdad #Syria
— Gareth Browne (@BrowneGareth) January 3, 2020

As Yossi Melman has outlined in Middle East Eye, Soleimani kept a high profile and rarely disappeared underground for cover. In general, intelligence services refrain from targeting each other's chiefs, so he may have felt able to move with impunity.

If he did feel under threat, emerging in Baghdad airport so close to a US facilitiy was certainly brazen.

As for the Israelis, they're just trying to keep quiet and hope Iran and its allies don't think that an Israeli hand lay behind the assassination, Melman writes.