Bloomberg TV reported that an Israeli airstrike struck the Iranian regime consulate in Damascus, killing the entire command structure of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) responsible for Syrian and Lebanese operations. The report highlights that these officers were crucial for Hezbollah’s activities in the region.
According to sources, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, his deputy Mohammad Hadi Rahimi, and other deceased officers believed the consulate, located next to the embassy, was the safest location in Damascus, unlikely to be targeted by Israel.
Prior to the attack, plans were underway to move the ambassador and consul’s residence to a new apartment complex on the same street, where Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s brothers also reside. However, senior IRGC officials in Syria held a meeting on the consulate’s second floor shortly before the attack and decided to remain there.
Iran regime Suspects Syrian Involvement
This attack marked the first time Iran regime directly retaliated against Israel. Following the incident, Iran suspected involvement of groups within Syria in past killings of IRGC personnel. A Syrian political refugee opposed to the Assad regime claims to have spoken with an Iranian regime official. This source states that Iran regime’s suspicions focus on eighteen commanders assassinated in a short period during attacks attributed to Israel.
According to the refugee, after the December 2023 assassination of Reza Mousavi in Syria, a joint investigation with Syria began to identify any security breaches. However, concerns about Syrian intelligence involvement led Iran to pursue an independent investigation with Hezbollah’s participation.
This independent investigation concluded that high-level political and security figures facilitated the security breaches. The refugee further claims that the targeted Hezbollah operatives’ connections to Syrian security services, whose elimination required advanced technology, strengthened Iran’s suspicions.
