Iran vows lethal suspected Israeli airstrike on its consulate in Damascus “won’t go unanswered”

Tehran, Iran — Iran and certainly one of its key proxies vowed Tuesday to answer a strike broadly attributed to Israel that demolished Iran’s consulate within the Syrian capital of Damascus and killed seven, together with two Iranian generals.

Iran’s state TV reported Tuesday that the nation’s Supreme Nationwide Safety Council, a key decision-making physique, met late Monday and selected a “required” response to the strike. The report mentioned the assembly was chaired by President Ebrahim Raisi, however offered no additional particulars.

The “cowardly crime won’t go unanswered,” Raisi mentioned on his workplace’s web site, in line with Agence France-Presse.

Israel has repeatedly focused navy officers from Iran, which helps militant teams combating Israel in Gaza, and alongside its border with Lebanon. Monday’s strike in Damascus signaled an escalation as a result of it struck an Iranian diplomatic mission.

It wasn’t clear if Iran would reply itself, risking a harmful confrontation with Israel and its ally the USA, or would proceed to depend on proxies, together with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia and Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

The airstrike in Syria killed Gen. Mohammad Reza Zahedi, who led the elite Quds Power in Lebanon and Syria till 2016, in line with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. It additionally killed Zahedi’s deputy, Gen. Mohammad Hadi Hajriahimi, and 5 different officers.

Hezbollah mentioned Tuesday that Zahedi performed an important position in serving to “develop and advance the work” of the group in Lebanon.

“This crime will definitely not cross with out the enemy receiving punishment and revenge,” Hezbollah mentioned in a press release.

For the reason that outbreak of the warfare in Gaza almost six months in the past, these proxies have stepped up assaults, main to close each day cross-border exchanges between Hezbollah and Israel, and frequent Houthi assaults on Crimson Sea transport. Hamas, which guidelines Gaza and attacked Israel on Oct. 7, can be backed by Iran.

Israel, which not often acknowledges strikes towards Iranian targets, mentioned it had no touch upon the most recent assault in Syria, though a navy spokesman blamed Iran for a drone assault early Monday towards a naval base in southern Israel.

Israel has grown more and more impatient with the each day exchanges of fireplace with Hezbollah, which have escalated in latest days, and warned of the opportunity of a full-fledged warfare. Houthi rebels have additionally been launching long-range missiles towards Israel, together with on Monday.

Iran’s official information company IRNA mentioned Tuesday that Iran relayed an vital message to the USA late Monday and that it known as for a gathering of the U.N. Safety Council. The message to Washington was delivered via a Swiss envoy in Tehran; Switzerland takes care of U.S. pursuits in Iran. Washington and Tehran haven’t got diplomatic relations.

“Iran reserves its respectable and inherent proper beneath worldwide regulation and the United Nations Constitution to take a decisive response to such reprehensible acts,” Iran’s mission to the world physique mentioned, in line with AFP.

IRNA mentioned Iran holds the USA, Israel’s closest ally, answerable for the strike.

The Safety Council was to debate the lethal strike later Tuesday at a gathering requested by Syrian ally Russia, AFP mentioned.

Syria’s protection ministry mentioned “the assault destroyed the whole constructing, killing and injuring everybody inside,” AFP reported, addilng that the one factor left standing after the assault was the gate constructing’s gate, with an indication studying “the consular part of the embassy of Iran.” Home windows shattered inside a 550 yard radius and plenty of parked vehicles have been broken by the blast.