Iran has said that an Israeli airstrike destroyed Iran’s consulate in Syria on Monday, resulting in the deaths of two Iranian generals and five officers. This attack is seen as an escalation in Israel’s targeting of Iranian military personnel, as Iran raises voice against genocide in Gaza by Israel.
Tensions between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah forces from Lebanon have intensified since the genocide in Gaza began nearly six months ago. Iran also supports Hamas, which fights against Israel in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen have been firing long-range missiles towards Israel, including on Monday, AP reported.
Among those killed in the Syrian airstrike were General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, who led the elite Quds Force in Lebanon and Syria until 2016, and his deputy, General Mohammad Hadi Hajriahimi, along with five other officers, according to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. A member of Hezbollah, Hussein Youssef, was also reportedly killed.
Hezbollah expressed condolences for Zahedi’s death and condemned Israel’s actions, promising retaliation. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported two Syrian casualties as well.
Although the Iranian consulate building was destroyed, the main embassy building remained intact. However, the Iranian ambassador’s residence was located within the consulate.
Iran’s ambassador vowed revenge for the attack, while Hamas and Islamic Jihad accused Israel of attempting to escalate the conflict in Gaza.
Experts anticipate retaliation from Iran, with the strike in Syria being viewed as a significant escalation. Meanwhile, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson called for condemnation of the attack by other countries.
Israel has previously targeted numerous Iranian-linked sites in Syria, aiming to disrupt arms transfers and other forms of cooperation with Hezbollah, which has deployed thousands of fighters to support Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime.
