As news broke that an American drone strike killed a major Iranian general was reported Friday, South Carolina’s Republicans in Congress praised President Donald Trump.

Meeting with reporters at his West Columbia office, U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-Springdale, called the commander in chief’s order to bomb a Baghdad airport and kill Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani “courageous.”

Wilson called Soleimani “one of the great terrorists of our era.” The general was the head of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and was instrumental in Iranian military and intelligence operations.

Wilson’s comments echoed praise offered by other Republican leaders, from U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham to former S.C. governor and ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley.

Meanwhile, the state’s top Democrat in Congress criticized Trump’s decision to order the airstrike.

“His failure to even consult Congress—entrusted by the Constitution to authorize military force—is alarming,” Clyburn said. “Congress must uphold our responsibility to protect national security.”

U.S. Rep. Joe Cunningham, D-Charleston, called for transparency between the Trump administration and Congress.

“Last night’s airstrike was unprecedented with incalculable consequences that will play out over the coming days, weeks, and months,” Cunningham said, according to a statement. “Given the immense gravity of this situation, Congress needs to hear from the Administration about the intelligence that led to this airstrike and how it fits into our broader strategy to counter Iran’s destabilizing presence in the region, consolidate our gains in Iraq, and combat violent extremism.”

The U.S. airstrike is the latest development in a series of incidents of violence in Iraq. On New Year’s Eve, demonstrators who support the Iranian-backed group Kataib Hezbollah stormed the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, breaching the exterior walls and starting fires. The protesters, said to be angered over U.S. airstrikes that killed members of the group, later retreated as the president ordered more troops to the region. The U.S. Department of State reported that U.S. personnel were safe.

Wilson also compared the United States’ involvement in the Middle East to the war against communism, calling it a “generational conflict” that cannot be ended until America is delivered a decisive victory.

“We’re at greater risk today than ever, and that’s why the president is taking this firm action,” Wilson said, adding, “It’s quite appropriate that President Trump take the action to rid the world of this person who is a threat to America’s national security and a threat to American families. I’m just so proud of the president’s leadership to act so decisively.”

After the news of the airstrike broke, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, one of Trump’s staunchest allies, had quickly applauded Trump and issued a warning to the government in Tehran.

Graham said that Trump’s actions were in “direct response to Iranian aggression,” including the recent killing of an American contractor in Iraq. The rocket attack was aimed at an Iraqi military base, and believed to be orchestrated by Iran-backed groups.

“To the Iranian government: if you want to stay in the oil business, leave America and our allies alone and stop being the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world,” Graham said, according to the statement.

U.S. Sen. Tim Scott called the move “a calculated and proportional response to Iran’s belligerent aggression towards the United States and our allies.

“Iran and Soleimani continued to attack and kill Americans, sieged our embassy in Baghdad, and carried out acts of violence to destabilize the region as a whole,” Scott said, according to a statement. “The President was absolutely within his authority to approve this operation and we will not be deterred when American lives and American interests are in jeopardy.”

U.S. Rep. Jeff Duncan also said he approved of Trump’s actions.

“This action shows Iranian attacks and aggression against Americans will not go unnoticed under President Trump’s leadership,” Duncan said, according to a statement. “Our military is the best of the best, and may God bless them for their efforts in making the world a safer place without murderous terrorists like Qassem Soleimani.”

U.S. Rep. William Timmons, R-Greenville, called the president’s actions decisive and appropriate.

“That said, Americans at home and abroad should remain vigilant,” Timmons said in a statement. “We know the Iranian government is eager to strike back, and if they choose to do so, they will go after our most vulnerable citizens and assets. The Iranians would be smart to proceed with extreme caution. Our military presence in the Middle East remains strong, and further aggression against us will not be tolerated.”

U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, R-Rock Hill, called the operation a much needed step for security in the Middle East.

“Under Obama, we saw that accommodating Iran with a horribly flawed nuclear deal and even billion-dollar ransom payouts failed to change their hostile behavior,” Norman said. “In fact, the unwillingness to confront this terrorist regime head-on only emboldened its leaders, leading to a steady escalation which included attacks on American personnel, equipment, and most recently our embassy in Iraq.”

U.S. Rep. Tom Rice, R-Myrtle Beach, echoed the sentiment.

“For 20 years, Qassem Soleimani has organized countless terrorist acts and caused the deaths of hundreds of U.S. service members,” Rice said. “With his decisive action to eliminate him, President Trump took a step to ensure the safety of American troops, American citizens, and our allies in the Middle East.”