The Israeli airstrike in Damascus has led to the demise of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ chief, Mohammad Reza Zahedi.
An Israeli airstrike in the Syrian capital led to the death of Mohammad Reza Zahedi, the top-ranking official of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The strike reportedly hit near the Iranian embassy in Damascus, resulting in significant destruction and loss of life. The event has sparked a wave of reactions and accusations globally.
On a fateful Monday, an Israeli airstrike targeted a building near the Iranian embassy in the Mezzeh district of Damascus. Zahedi was reportedly present in the building when it was hit. The news was confirmed by the Saudi Al-Arabia news network and Reuters.
The building was reduced to rubble, and smoke could be seen billowing from the remains. The first responders on the scene reported that at least six people, including Zahedi, were among the casualties.
The impact of the strike was so severe that it destroyed a portion of the Iranian embassy. Syrian state media reported that everyone inside the consular section of the embassy was either killed or wounded in the attack. According to Iran, seven people lost their lives in the strike.
Zahedi was a prominent figure, having been sanctioned in 2010 for his alleged connections with Hezbollah terrorists and for smuggling weapons into Lebanon. He was reportedly in Damascus to meet with leaders of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
The Iranian Embassy in Lebanon condemned the attack, accusing Israel of committing a war crime. They stated that the Israeli aggression violated international laws, diplomatic norms, and the requirements of the Vienna Convention, the Jerusalem Post reports.
This incident is a part of the ongoing conflict that started when Hamas, an Iranian-supported terror group, attacked Israel. Since then, Israel has been intermittently bombarding Hezbollah and the IRGC.
Only a few days prior to Zahedi’s death, Israel launched its deadliest attack against Hezbollah and the IRGC, killing Ali Abed Akhsan Naim, the deputy commander of Hezbollah’s rocket and missile unit in Lebanon. Naim was allegedly responsible for the rocket fire that has led to mass evacuations from northern Israel.
The escalating conflict and Israel’s increasing airstrikes in Syria have compelled Iran to withdraw some of its top officers from the country. This event has potentially far-reaching implications for the geopolitical dynamics of the region.
