In a recent development, Iran has accused Israel of carrying out a strike in Damascus that resulted in the death of five members of the Revolutionary Guards. Iran vows revenge for Damascus attackon its personnel abroad by Israel. The conflict escalates amid accusations of Israel targeting senior Iranian and allied figures in Syria and Lebanon, supporters of the Hamas terror group. Concerns rise over the potential expansion of the Gaza conflict throughout the region. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has confirmed the loss of five members in the strike, attributing the incident to Israel.
People and rescuers gather in front of a building destroyed in a reported Israeli strike in Damascus on January 20, 2024 In a retaliatory move, Tehran has pledged to carry out revenge attacks against Israel after a missile strike obliterated a building used as a base for Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards in Damascus. The targeted strike resulted in the tragic loss of five Guards and an undisclosed number of Syrian troops.
The building, reportedly utilized by Iranian advisers supporting President Bashar al-Assad's government, was reduced to rubble by what sources describe as "precision-targeted Israeli missiles." Ambulances and fire trucks converged on the site, where rescue operations persisted throughout the day, aiming to extricate individuals trapped under the wreckage. A crane was deployed to lift concrete slabs off the devastated structure.
The Guards confirmed the deaths of five Iranians without specifying their ranks, while a security source revealed that one of the deceased was responsible for overseeing the elite force's information unit. The Syrian military also suffered casualties in the strike.
Israel, known for its covert military operations against Iran's presence in Syria, has not issued any official comment. The country has intensified its bombing campaign, particularly in response to the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas militants, supported by Iran, from Gaza.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Nasser Kanaani, condemned the strike as a "desperate attempt to spread instability in the region." Kanaani affirmed Iran's right to respond to what he termed the "organized terrorism of the fake Zionist regime" at an appropriate time and place.
Syrian state media reported the Israeli attack as an "aerial assault" on a building in the Mazzeh neighborhood of Damascus, claiming that Syrian air defenses successfully intercepted several missiles. Essam Al-Amin, head of Al-Mowasat Hospital in Damascus, confirmed one fatality and three wounded individuals, including a woman, admitted following the attack.
This incident follows a pattern of heightened tensions in the region, with Israel responding aggressively to threats and attacks. The recent Israeli strike in south Lebanon resulted in casualties, further escalating hostilities and underscoring the interconnectedness of conflicts across the Middle East. The situation remains fluid, with concerns growing over the potential for broader regional instability.
As tensions escalated, Iran, on January 20, formally accused Israel of conducting a strike in Damascus, resulting in the tragic loss of five members of the Revolutionary Guards. President Ebrahim Raisi, in a stern response, declared that Tehran would not allow the "cowardly assassination" to go unanswered.
Israel, already under scrutiny, faces allegations of increasing strikes targeting high-ranking Iranian and allied figures in Syria and Lebanon, particularly those supporting the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The fears of the Gaza conflict expanding further throughout the region persist.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed the death of its five members in the strike, squarely placing the blame on Israel, its regional arch-foe. The situation remains tense, with President Raisi's vow to avenge the attack adding an ominous layer to the already strained relations between the two nations.