Following the suspected Israeli airstrike in Syria, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) have confirmed the deaths of two generals from their ranks. Two Brigadier Generals Mohammad Reza Sahedi and his deputy Mohammad Hadi Haji were killed in the attack on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in the capital Damascus, the IRGC said on Monday evening. Five other members of the Revolutionary Guard were killed in the attack.
Iran blames Israel
Meanwhile, in the Iranian capital Tehran, hundreds of government supporters gathered in the city center in the evening for spontaneous protests, eyewitnesses reported. The crowd demanded revenge for the murder of the generals. They shouted, among other things, ‘Death to Israel’ and ‘Death to America’.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani strongly condemned the attack and blamed Israel’s arch-enemy for the killing of the IRGC generals. “The scale of this hateful attack is under investigation, and responsibility for its consequences lies with the aggressive Zionist regime,” the spokesman said, according to a statement from his ministry. “The Islamic Republic of Iran reserves the right to take countermeasures and will decide on the nature of the response,” he added.
The explosion is said to have targeted the consular department
According to the Syrian state news agency Sana, the explosion targeted the consular section right next to the Iranian embassy building. Accordingly, the entire building was destroyed. Images on social media showed heavy smoke and debris next to the main Iranian embassy building. Syrian air defenses responded to the attack and shot down some missiles, the report said.
According to Iranian state television, Ambassador Hussein Akbari’s residence was on the ground floor of the affected part of the building. However, the diplomat and his family were unharmed, it was said. There were probably no employees present due to a religious holiday.
Targets near Damascus were already bombed on Sunday
The Israeli Air Force is repeatedly bombing targets in neighboring Syria in an attempt to prevent Iran and its allied militias, such as the Lebanese Hezbollah, from expanding their military influence in the country. The number of attacks has increased since the Gaza war began almost six months ago. Targets near Damascus were already bombed on Sunday.
On Friday, more than fifty people were killed in heavy airstrikes in the northwestern Syrian province of Aleppo. According to the Observatory for Human Rights, most of the victims were Syrian soldiers. Members of the Shiite Hezbollah militia were also among the victims, it was said. However, such high numbers of casualties from suspected Israeli airstrikes are rare.
In late December, Iranian General Sejed-Rasi Mousavi, a senior member of the IRGC, was killed in a suspected Israeli airstrike in a suburb of the Syrian capital Damascus. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard responded in mid-January with massive rocket attacks in retaliation against targets in Syria and Iraq. The rockets flew about 1,200 kilometers. This was also interpreted by observers as a clear signal to Israel. It would be about the same distance that rockets from the west of the country would need to reach Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. (sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
