In a dramatic turn of events, two Iranian generals and five other officers were killed on Monday when an alleged Israeli attack destroyed the Iranian embassy in Syria. Israel has not yet commented on the attack. However, the military spokesman blamed Iran for the drone strike on Monday in southern Israel.
Six missiles fired by Israeli airplanes reportedly hit the Damascus facility.
Ten points about relations between Iran and Israel:
- According to reports, what appeared to be Israeli planes hit Iran’s embassy in Syria on Monday. There were three senior commanders among the dead. The event happened in Damascus’ Mezzeh neighbourhood.
- Faisal Mekdad, Syria’s foreign minister, denounced the bombing. “We strongly condemn this atrocious terrorist attack that targeted the Iranian consulate building in Damascus and killed several innocents,” he stated.
- Iran’s ambassador to Syria, Hossein Akbari, claimed that the strike had hit his house, which was located on the top two floors of the consular building inside the embassy compound. Still, he is unharmed. Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander in the Quds Force, an elite paramilitary and overseas espionage unit, was among the dead. Though it had been attacking Iranian military installations in Syria, this was the first time Israel had targeted an embassy.
- “Reports in the foreign media” prompted Israel to decline comment. Nevertheless, the New York Times cited four unnamed Israeli officials as admitting that Israel was the attack’s perpetrator.
The UN mission for Iran stated that the assault constituted a “flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter, international law, and the foundational principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises.” Tehran was stated to have the prerogative “to take a decisive response.” - Hezbollah, a Lebanese organisation believed to be Iran’s most potent armed stooge in the area, swore revenge. The gang said, “This crime will not pass without the enemy receiving punishment and revenge.” Along with Russia, the Muslim countries of Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates denounced the attack.
- Among the dead in the assault was Haji Rahimi, a Quds Force coordinator, according to reports. The attack claimed the lives of Hossein Aman Elahi, Mehdi Jalalati, Mohsen Sedaghat, Ali Aghababaee, and Ali Salehi Roozbahani as well. Iran claims that F-35 fighter planes were used to carry out the attack. “This is perhaps the first time that the Zionist regime allows itself to attack an official building of the Islamic Republic of Iran embassy, which had the flag of the Islamic Republic raised on top of it,” Akbari stated.
- Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the military spokesperson for Israel, stated that the building was a Quds forces military installation masquerading as a civilian establishment rather than an embassy or consulate. He claimed that no one was hurt in Monday’s drone attack on a naval installation in southern Israel, which was “directed by Iran.” Meanwhile, Akbari promised retaliation for the attack “at the same magnitude and harshness.”
- Experts predict that Iran will strike back. Iran can order Hezbollah to intensify its operations against Israel, according to Steven Cook, an expert at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington. “The IRGC can relax restrictions on its proxies in Syria and Iraq, endangering US forces once more. He said, “The Iranians might also order Hezbollah to intensify its attacks on Israel, which have been getting bolder and more frequent.”
- Since Hamas massacred 1200 civilians inside Israel on October 7, Israel and its allies have been engaged in a lengthy battle in Gaza. Since then, revenge attacks have claimed thousands of lives among Palestinians. Iran is said to provide support to several extremist organisations that attack Israel.