Israel is suspected of airstrikes that killed an Iranian general, Tehran vows to respond
(Dan Tri) – Israeli planes are suspected of bombing the Iranian embassy in Syria, killing 11 people, including a high-ranking Iranian general.
The building near the Iranian embassy in Syria was destroyed after a suspected Israeli airstrike (Photo: Reuters).
Reuters reported that Iran accused Israeli military planes of bombing the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Syria on April 1.
Reuters reporters at the scene in the Mezzeh district of Damascus said rescue workers climbed the rubble of a destroyed building inside the diplomatic quarter, adjacent to the main embassy building.
Video broadcast on Iranian state television showed smoke rising from the rubble of a building that had been completely flattened.
Iran said that several long-serving diplomats were killed along with Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi and his deputy, General Haji Rahimi.
According to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, seven military advisers were killed in the attack, including General Reza Zahedi.
Mr. Zahedi is said to play an important role in the supply of Iranian-made missiles to Hezbollah forces.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian condemned the attack and accused Israel of being behind it.
Iran’s ambassador to Syria, Hossein Akbari, said the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital was hit by six missiles launched from F-35 planes and rescue forces are still searching for bodies in the rubble.
He announced that Tehran would respond with appropriate harshness.
Observers say that the attack on April 1 will be a test for Iran.
Israel has not yet commented.
The New York Times quoted four unnamed Israeli officials admitting that Israel carried out the attack.
Israel has long targeted Iranian military facilities and its proxies in Syria.
Since the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza broke out last October, the Israeli military has stepped up airstrikes in Syria against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.