An alleged Israeli airstrike demolished Iran's consulate building in Syria on Monday, killing two Iranian generals and five other officers. Israel has made no remark on the attack so far. However, its military spokesperson blamed Iran for a drone strike on Monday in southern Israel.The strike in the Damascus-area municipality of Mezzeh hit a building adjacent to the Iranian embassy, footage showed.
The building of the Iranian consulate in Damascus was destroyed in an airstrike by the Zionists. pic.twitter.com/X6zrK1nE1N
— IRNA News Agency (@IrnaEnglish) April 1, 2024
Iran’s SSN news website said the targeted building was Iran’s consulate and ambassador’s residence.The IRGC in a statement carried by Iranian media announced the deaths of seven members, including its senior-most official in Syria, Mohammad Reza Zahedi, and his deputy Mohammad Haj Rahimi.Zahedi was a top commander in IRGC’s Quds Force, a US-designated terrorist organization.He was reportedly responsible for the unit’s operations in Syria and Lebanon, for Iranian militias there, and for ties with Hezbollah, and thus the most senior commander of Iranian forces in the two countries. Israel’s Army Radio said Zahedi oversaw all Iranian terrorist operations against Israel from Syria, Lebanon “and the Palestinian sphere.”
Iran's UN mission said the attack was a "flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter, international law, and the foundational principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises." It said Tehran reserved the right “to take a decisive response.”Israel's military spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the building wasn't a consulate or embassy but a military structure of the Quds forces disguised as a civilian facility. He said that on Monday, a drone attack on a naval base in southern Israel was “directed by Iran” and caused no injuries. Akbari, meanwhile, vowed revenge for the strike “at the same magnitude and harshness.”
Related Items
US plans $7.4 bn arms sales to Israel
Iran's currency hits a record low, facing dire economic situation
Israel kills 50 terrorists in West Bank