On Monday, the Iranian consulate in Damascus was targeted by unprecedented strikes, as reported by state media. The attack took place amid a tense regional context and ongoing war in Gaza. An NGO reported eleven deaths in the fifth raid in eight days to target Syria, where Iran and its allies back Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
The Syrian Defense Ministry stated that the strikes originated from the occupied Syrian Golan and were carried out by F-35 fighter jets, resulting in several deaths and injuries. The Iranian ambassador to Syria confirmed that the building, located in Mazzeh, was completely destroyed. All individuals inside the building were either killed or injured in the attack.
An AFP correspondent on site witnessed the complete destruction of the embassy annex building, with images showing the building in ruins. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported eleven deaths, all fighters with no civilians among the casualties. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed that two commanders were among the seven members killed in the raid.
Iran vowed to deliver a “decisive response” to the attack and criticized Israel for its inhumane actions. The Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs called for a serious response from the international community while Lebanese Hezbollah stated that Israeli raid would be punished. Russian diplomacy condemned the attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus and called on Israeli leaders to halt provocative actions.
Israel has been conducting numerous strikes against Syria since 2011 targeting Syrian power positions, pro-Iranian groups and military targets associated with Iran’s presence near its border despite international condemnation of such attacks. This recent escalation coincides with Israel’s conflict with Hamas who is an ally of Hezbollah and Iran and Israel has expressed its determination to prevent Iran from establishing a presence near its border which is seen as a threat to national security
