DAMASCUS, Syria — An Israeli airstrike that demolished Iran’s consulate in Syria on Monday killed two Iranian generals and 5 officers, in accordance with Syrian and Iranian officers. The strike appeared to indicate an escalation of Israel’s concentrating on of army officers from Iran, which supplies cash and weapons to Hamas and different militants liable for the Oct. 7 assault in opposition to Israel.
For the reason that warfare in Gaza started practically six months in the past, clashes have additionally elevated between Israel and Hezbollah — one other militant group supported by Iran — alongside Israel’s northern border with Lebanon.
Israel, which not often acknowledges such strikes, mentioned it had no touch upon the most recent assault in Syria, though a army spokesman blamed Iran for a drone assault early Monday in opposition to a naval base in southern Israel.
The airstrike in Syria killed Gen. Ali Reza Zahdi, who led the elite Quds Drive in Lebanon and Syria till 2016, in accordance with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. It additionally killed Zahdi’s deputy, Gen Mohammad Hadi Hajriahimi, and 5 different officers.
A member of Hezbollah, Hussein Youssef, additionally was killed within the assault, a spokesperson for the militant group instructed The Related Press. The spokesperson spoke on situation of anonymity in keeping with group’s guidelines; Hezbollah has publicly introduced the dying.
Two law enforcement officials who guarded the consulate have been amongst these wounded, and first responders have been nonetheless looking for our bodies below the rubble.
Whereas Iran’s consular constructing was leveled within the assault, in accordance with Syria’s state information company, its essential embassy constructing remained intact. Nonetheless, the Iranian ambassador’s residence was contained in the consular constructing.
Iran’s ambassador, Hossein Akbari, vowed revenge for the strike “on the identical magnitude and harshness.”
Hamas and Islamic Jihad — one other Palestinian militant group backed by Iran — accused Israel of searching for to widen the battle in Gaza.
Specialists mentioned there was little question that Iran would retaliate. The strike in Syria was a “main escalation,” Charles Lister, a Syria knowledgeable on the Center East Institute in Washington, mentioned on the social media platform X.
A spokesman for Iran’s overseas ministry, Nasser Kanaani, referred to as on different international locations to sentence the strike.
Israel has carried out a whole lot of strikes on targets in government-controlled components of Syria in recent times.
Such airstrikes have escalated for the reason that begin of the warfare between Israel and Hamas.
Although it not often acknowledges its actions in Syria, Israel has mentioned it targets bases of Iran-allied militant teams comparable to Hezbollah, which has despatched 1000’s of fighters to assist Syrian President Bashar Assad’s forces.
An Israeli airstrike in a Damascus neighborhood in December killed a longtime adviser of the Iranian paramilitary Revolutionary Guard in Syria, Seyed Razi Mousavi.
An analogous strike on a constructing in Damascus in January killed at the least 5 Iranian advisers. Final week, airstrikes over the strategic japanese Syrian province of Deir el-Zour close to the Iraqi border killed an Iranian adviser.
The chief spokesman for Israel’s military, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, mentioned that the drone assault on a naval base in southern Israel “directed by Iran” precipitated no accidents. The military mentioned it precipitated solely minor harm.
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Chehayeb reported from Beirut. Related Press author Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, and Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington, contributed to this report.