Top Iranian Commanders Killed In Israeli Air Strikes On Iran's Consulate In Syria; Tehran Vows Revenge

At least seven people, including senior officials of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, were killed in an alleged Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital on Monday (1 April).

Brig-Gen Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander of the elite Iranian Quds Force, and Brig-Gen Mohammad Hadi Haji-Rahimi, his deputy, were named among the dead.

Iran and Syria's governments condemned the attack, which destroyed a building next door to the Iranian embassy.

Hossein Akbari, Iran's ambassador to Damascus, alleged that the air strike was carried out by F-35 fighter jets.

However, he did not give the source of his information about the aircraft.

Though Israel has not commented on the strike in Damascus that killed top Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander, The New York Times cites four unnamed Israeli officials as confirming the country was behind the attack.

However, the Israeli officials denied that the building had diplomatic status.

The strike in Damascus, the Syrian capital, appeared to be among the deadliest attacks in a yearslong shadow war between Israel and Iran that has included the assassinations of Iranian military leaders and nuclear scientists.

Iran's UN mission said the attack was a "flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter, international law, and the foundational principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises". It said Tehran reserved the right “to take a decisive response".

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