Local, state agencies keep watchful eye in wake of U.S. airstrike

Across the Las Vegas Valley and Nevada, a handful of public agencies said Saturday they’re keeping an eye on the potential for escalating tensions after a U.S. airstrike killed the leader of Iran’s elite military force.

Qassem Soleimani, who led the Quds Force, was killed Friday in Baghdad, Iraq.

Clark County spokesman Erik Pappa issued a written statement Saturday to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

“We are coordinating with our federal partners to ensure we are aware of the latest threats and have moved assets around to harden infrastructure as we have in the wake of other attacks such as what occurred recently in New Jersey and New York,” it said. “The picture is quite fluid.”

Pappa declined to provide clarification on what that means, saying the county can’t provide additional information at this time.

Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Jose Hernandez said Saturday in a statement to the Las Vegas Review-Journal: “Our officers remain vigilant at all times with regards to suspicious activity. We do have additional police presence but it’s due to the New Years weekend.”

He encouraged people to report any suspicious activity using the Southern Nevada Counter Terrorism Center hotline at 702-828-7777 or snctc.org.

Kim Yoko Smith, spokeswoman for the Nevada Department of Public Safety, said she’s not aware of any additional security measures in place for the agency.

A McCarran International Airport spokesman said Saturday he’s not aware of any increased airport security measures, but recommended further inquiries be directed to the U.S. Transportation Security Administration or U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

At a national level, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf issued a new National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin on Saturday “pertaining to the changing threat landscape following the successful U.S.-led airstrike in Iraq that eliminated Qaseem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.”

Wolf said in the press release: “At this time there is no specific, credible threat against the homeland. The Department issued this bulletin to inform, share protective measures, and reassure the American public, state and local governments, and private sector partners that the Department of Homeland Security is actively monitoring and preparing for any specific, credible threat, should one arise.”

Contact Julie Wootton-Greener at jgreener@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2921. Follow @julieswootton on Twitter.