Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Report Seven Officers Killed in Israeli Strike on Iranian Consulate in Damascus
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have reported that seven officers, including senior commanders Brig-Gen Mohammad Reza Zahedi and Brig-Gen Mohammad Hadi Haji-Rahimi, were killed in an Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate building in Damascus, Syria’s capital.
Both Iran and Syria condemned the attack, which targeted a building adjacent to the Iranian embassy. The Israeli military, while refraining from commenting on foreign media reports, has acknowledged conducting numerous strikes on targets in Syria allegedly linked to Iran and its allied armed groups, which it claims are armed, funded, and trained by the Revolutionary Guards.
Monday’s attack marks a significant escalation, with Israel seemingly testing the resolve of Iran and its allies while signaling an intent to intensify pressure. Amid tensions, speculation arises regarding potential responses, which could extend beyond conventional military means to include cyber-attacks.
According to Syria’s defense ministry, Israeli aircraft targeted the Iranian consulate building from the direction of the occupied Golan Heights. Syrian air defenses intercepted some missiles, but others struck the building, causing extensive damage and casualties.
Photos and videos depict smoke and debris emanating from the collapsed structure. Iranian Ambassador Hossein Akbari reported casualties, including diplomats, and the Revolutionary Guards confirmed the deaths of senior officers, including Zahedi and Haji-Rahimi.
Zahedi’s prominence makes him one of the highest-profile Iranian figures believed to have been targeted in Israel’s ongoing campaign of targeted assassinations.