Israeli Warplanes Strike Iranian Embassy Complex in Damascus, Killing Senior Commanders
In a dramatic escalation of tensions in the Middle East, Israeli warplanes struck a building in Damascus that is part of the Iranian Embassy complex, resulting in the deaths of at least three senior commanders and four officers overseeing Iran’s covert operations in the region.
The strike, which took place in the Syrian capital, is believed to be one of the deadliest attacks in the ongoing shadow war between Israel and Iran. This conflict has seen the assassinations of Iranian military leaders and nuclear scientists in recent years.
Israeli officials, speaking anonymously, confirmed that Israel was behind the strike in Damascus but denied that the building targeted had diplomatic status. However, the Syrian ambassador to Iran condemned the attack, stating that it targeted a diplomatic building and violated international conventions.
Video footage and photographs circulating on social media showed the destruction caused by the strike, with the Iranian Embassy confirming that the building housed a consular section and the ambassador’s residence. Iranian and Syrian news agencies broadcast images of the ruined building, burned cars, and debris on the ground.
Among the casualties were Gen. Mohamad Reza Zahedi, who oversaw Iran’s covert military operations in Syria and Lebanon, along with two other generals and four officers from the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
Iran’s foreign minister strongly condemned the strike, accusing Israel of attacking the consulate section of the Islamic Republic’s embassy in Damascus. He criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, suggesting that the attack was a response to Israel’s recent military campaign in the Gaza Strip against Hamas.
The strike in Damascus comes amid heightened tensions in the region, with Israeli forces withdrawing from Gaza’s largest hospital complex, Al-Shifa, after a two-week raid that resulted in the deaths of Palestinian militants and the arrest of hundreds of others.
The aftermath of the raid at Al-Shifa left the hospital badly damaged, with reports of patients without drinking water and minimal medication. The World Health Organization confirmed at least 21 patient deaths since the Israeli raid began in mid-March.
Israeli forces had previously raided Al-Shifa in November, claiming that Hamas militants had built a command center underneath it. Hamas denied the allegations, stating that the hospital was solely used as a refuge for civilians.
The Israeli military defended its actions at Al-Shifa, stating that militants had fortified themselves in the hospital wards and fired on soldiers, leading to the destruction of the hospital buildings.
The strike in Damascus targeted a meeting between Iranian intelligence officials and Palestinian militants to discuss the situation in Gaza. The attack occurred as fighter jets entered Syria from the Golan Heights, according to Syria’s defense ministry.
The Israeli defense minister vowed to continue pursuing Hezbollah and conducting operations in Lebanon, Syria, and other locations. The recent strikes in Syria have resulted in the deaths of Syrian soldiers, Hezbollah fighters, and members of pro-Iranian militias.
The situation in the Middle East remains tense as both Israel and Iran continue to engage in covert operations and military strikes, further escalating the conflict in the region.
