Four officials of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps reportedly lost their lives in what is believed to be an Israeli airstrike on Damascus, as per information from sources within the regional pro-Syria alliance.
The IRGC’s Syrian intelligence chief is also among the deceased.
The targeted multi-story building served as accommodations for Iranian advisers assisting the Syrian government. An Israeli airstrike destroyed the building in the attack, according to international media reports. The Times of Israel reported this development on Saturday, citing sources and international media reports.
Reports from Syria indicate that the strike resulted in the death of four individuals. Syrian state media attributed the incident to “Israeli aggression,” but no additional information was provided regarding the specific target of the alleged airstrike.
Earlier, an Israeli airstrike conducted near Damascus in Syria resulted in the death of a high-ranking general from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps last month.
Mousavi held a significant position as an Iranian advisor in Syria and oversaw the coordination of the country’s military collaboration with Iran.
He was reported to have been “among those accompanying Qassem Soleimani,” the leader of the Guards’ elite Quds Force, who was killed in a U.S. drone attack in Iraq in 2020.
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi condemned Mousavi’s assassination, attributing it to Israel’s weakness and expressing assurance that Israel would face consequences for the act.
The Revolutionary Guards, referring to Mousavi as a brigadier-general within their ranks, vowed retaliation against Israel for his killing, denouncing Israel’s action as a usurpation and a crime.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad group condemned Mousavi’s death, labeling it a “cowardly act,” highlighting his significant role in supporting regional resistance and the Palestinian cause.
As of now, Israel’s military has not provided an immediate response.
Israel has a history of conducting strikes against what it identifies as Iran-affiliated targets in Syria, where Tehran has expanded its influence, particularly since supporting President Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian civil war that erupted in 2011.
Earlier this month, Iran reported Israeli strikes that resulted in the deaths of two Revolutionary Guards members in Syria, who served as military advisors in the region.
Iran has deployed hundreds of Guards as “advisors” to train and organize thousands of Shiite militia fighters from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, backing the Syrian government in the conflict.
