An Iranian consulate building was destroyed in an attack in Damascus. Several people died. A general of the Revolutionary Guard is said to be among the dead. Iran blames Israel.
Several people were killed in an explosion right next to the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital Damascus. Foreign Minister Faissal Mekdat spoke of several deaths after a meeting with Iranian Ambassador Hossein Akbari.
Mohammad Resa Sahedi, a high-ranking commander of the Revolutionary Guards, was among those killed, a person from Lebanese security circles told the Reuters news agency. This is also reported by the Iranian state television channel Al-Alam and the Arabic television channel Al-Majadin. Sahedi is said to have been one of the generals of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) responsible for operations in Syria and Lebanon, the Iranian news agency Tasnim reported.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the dead included commander Sahedi, two Iranian advisers and five members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
Iran’s ambassador announces reaction
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian blamed Israel for the destruction and deaths on the embassy grounds. According to Syrian and Iranian media, the airstrikes were said to have been carried out “from the direction” of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Israel’s army did not initially comment on the reports.
Images on social media showed heavy smoke and debris next to the main Iranian embassy building. According to Iranian state television, the residence of Ambassador Hussein Akbari was located on the ground floor of the affected part of the building. However, the diplomat and his family were unharmed, it was said. He announced a “sharp” reaction.
Israel repeatedly bombs targets in Syria
Israel’s air force repeatedly bombs 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. Attacks have increased since the war against Hamas began in the Gaza Strip almost six months ago. Targets near Damascus were already bombed on Sunday.
On Friday, more than 50 people were killed in heavy air strikes in northwest Syria’s Aleppo province. According to the Observatory for Human Rights, most of the victims were Syrian military personnel. Members of the Shiite Hezbollah militia were also among the victims, it was said.
A general was killed in December
In late December, Iranian General Sejed-Rasi Mousavi, a senior member of the Revolutionary Guard, was killed in a suspected Israeli airstrike in a suburb of the Syrian capital Damascus.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards responded in mid-January with massive rocket attacks in retaliation against targets in Syria and Iraq. The rockets flew around 1,200 kilometers. This was also interpreted by observers as a clear signal to Israel. It would be roughly the same distance that rockets from the west of the country would need to reach Tel Aviv or Jerusalem.