On Tuesday, Iran and one of its main allies vowed retaliation for an attack, widely attributed to Israel, that destroyed Iran’s consulate in Damascus, Syria, killing seven people, including two Iranian generals.
According to Iran’s state-run television, the country’s Supreme National Security Council, which plays a crucial role in policy decisions, convened late Monday under the leadership of President Ebrahim Raisi. The council decided on a “necessary” course of action in response to the airstrike. Raisi condemned the strike as a “cowardly assassination” and warned that Iran would not leave such “terrorist and criminal acts” unchallenged.
Israel has frequently targeted Iranian military personnel involved in supporting militant factions opposing Israel, including those in Gaza and along the Lebanese border. The recent strike on Damascus represents a significant escalation, targeting an Iranian diplomatic facility directly.
The specifics of Iran’s response remain uncertain, raising questions about whether Iran might engage directly, heightening the risk of a conflict with Israel and its ally, the United States, or whether it would continue to act through proxies like Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The targeted airstrike resulted in the deaths of Gen. Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a former leader of the IRGC’s elite Quds Force in Lebanon and Syria, his deputy Gen. Mohammad Hadi Hajriahimi, and five other officers, as reported by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
While Israel typically does not confirm its involvement in such strikes, it did not comment on this particular incident in Syria. However, an Israeli military spokesperson attributed an early Monday drone attack on a southern Israeli naval base to Iran.
Iran’s state news agency, IRNA, disclosed on Tuesday that Iran had sent a significant message to the United States through a Swiss envoy in Tehran, as Switzerland represents U.S. interests in Iran. This message was followed by a call for a United Nations Security Council meeting. IRNA stated that Iran holds the United States accountable for the airstrike, highlighting the close alliance between the U.S. and Israel.