Damascus, Syria – Four senior members of Iran’s security forces were killed in a suspected airstrike on the Syrian capital. The attack, which Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard blamed on Israel, resulted in the deaths of four military advisers and several Syrian forces.
Tensions in the region have intensified since the Israel-Gaza war, following Hamas’s attacks on Israel. The Revolutionary Guard, a key military, political, and economic force in Iran, has had a presence in Syria since the start of the civil war in 2011, supporting President Bashar al-Assad’s regime against widespread rebellion.
The strike occurred in the Mazzeh neighborhood, an area housing a military airport, the UN headquarters, embassies, and restaurants. Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency reported that the attack killed the IRGC’s Syria intelligence chief, his deputy, and two other Guard members.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based campaign group, stated that 10 people were killed in the strikes, including leaders of the Revolutionary Guard. The state-run Syrian Arab News Agency confirmed that the attacks had hit a residential building, resulting in civilian casualties and destroyed buildings.
The conflict has heightened concerns about the potential for a wider war in the region, particularly between Israel and Iran, as well as Israel’s exchange of fire with Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Additionally, Iran-backed groups in Iraq and Syria have been targeting US forces, while the US and UK have struck Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen for attacking ships in the Red Sea.
The recent exchange of strikes between Iran and Pakistan further added to fears of an escalated conflict. Both sides targeted militant bases in each other’s countries, leading to the withdrawal of ambassadors. However, after diplomatic talks, ties were restored between the two countries.
The situation in the Middle East remains complex and volatile, with multiple overlapping crises and conflicts heightening tensions between various regional powers.