On Monday, Israeli warplanes carried out an airstrike in the Syrian capital of Damascus, resulting in the death of a high-ranking Iranian commander.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran, an elite military force, confirmed the incident and identified the deceased as Brigadier-General Seyed Razi Mousavi.
According to the IRGC, Mousavi was present in Syria to provide support to the “resistance front” against Israel.
The news of the strike was initially reported by Iran’s Tasnim news agency and later confirmed by the IRGC. In their statement, the IRGC condemned the “criminal missile attack” by the Israeli regime and expressed their determination to avenge Mousavi’s death.
They also highlighted Mousavi’s role in supporting the resistance front in Syria, which encompasses various anti-Israel groups supported by Iran, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Shia militias in Iraq and Syria. The IRGC concluded their statement by asserting that the “usurping and barbaric Zionist regime” would face consequences for this act.
Mousavi served as a close associate of Qasem Soleimani, who led the IRGC’s Quds Force from the late 1990s until his assassination by the US in 2020. The Quds Force primarily operates outside of Iran, providing support and training to Tehran’s allies, including those in the “resistance front.”
The current commander, Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, pledged in November to assist Hamas in its conflict against Israel, affirming that Tehran would not allow the conquer of Gaza and its courageous people by this brutal enemy and its supporters. However, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly conveyed to the Palestinian militant group that Iran’s support will not involve direct military intervention.
The Israeli military has not issued any statements regarding the airstrike on Sunday and typically maintains silence regarding its operations in Syrian airspace. Israeli aircraft have conducted periodic missions in Syria since the conflict with Hamas commenced on October 7, targeting airports and alleged sites utilized by Iran-aligned militia groups.
