Tehran, Iran — Iran and one of its top proxies pledged Tuesday to respond to a strike widely attributed to Israel that demolished the Iranian consulate in the United States. Syrian capital of Damascus and killed seven, including two Iranian generals.
Iranian state television reported Tuesday that the country’s Supreme National Security Council, a key decision-making body, met Monday evening and decided on the “required” response to the strike. The report said the meeting was chaired by President Ebrahim Raisi, but provided no further details.
This “cowardly crime will not go unanswered,” Raïssi said on his office’s website, according to Agence France-Presse.
MAHER AL MOUNES / AFP via Getty Images
Israel has repeatedly targeted military officials of Iranwho supports militant groups fighting Israel in Gaza, and along its border with Lebanon. Monday’s strike in Damascus marked an escalation because it hit an Iranian diplomatic mission.
It was unclear whether Iran would respond itself, risking a dangerous confrontation with Israel and its ally the United States, or whether it would continue to rely on proxies, including The Lebanese Hezbollah militia And Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
The airstrike in Syria killed Gen. Mohammad Reza Zahedi, who led the elite Quds Force in Lebanon and Syria until 2016, according to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. The attack also killed Zahedi’s deputy, General Mohammad Hadi Hajriahimi, and five other officers.
Hezbollah said Tuesday that Zahedi played a crucial role in helping to “develop and advance the work” of the group in Lebanon.
“This crime will certainly not be committed without the enemy being punished and taking revenge,” Hezbollah said in a statement.
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Since the outbreak of war in Gaza nearly six months ago, these proxies have intensified their attacks, leading to near-daily cross-border exchanges between Hezbollah and Israel, and frequent Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping. . Hamas, which rules Gaza and attacked Israel on October 7, is also supported by Iran.
Israel, which rarely acknowledges strikes against Iranian targets, said it had no comment on the latest attack in Syria, although a military spokesman blamed Iran for a drone attack Monday morning against a naval base in southern Israel.
Israel has become increasingly impatient with daily firefights with Hezbollah, which have intensified in recent days, and has warned of the possibility of a full-fledged war. Houthi rebels have also launched long-range missiles towards Israel, including on Monday.
Iran’s official IRNA news agency said on Tuesday that Iran delivered an important message to the United States on Monday evening and called for a meeting of the UN Security Council. The message to Washington was conveyed through a Swiss envoy in Tehran; Switzerland protects American interests in Iran. Washington and Tehran do not maintain diplomatic relations.
“Iran reserves its legitimate and inherent right, under international law and the Charter of the United Nations, to respond decisively to such wrongdoing,” the Iranian mission to the world body said, according to the AFP.
IRNA said Iran holds the United States, Israel’s closest ally, responsible for the strike.
The Security Council was due to discuss the deadly strike later Tuesday at a meeting requested by Syria’s ally Russia, AFP said.
The Syrian Defense Ministry said “the attack destroyed the entire building, killing and injuring everyone inside,” AFP reported, adding that the only thing left standing after the attack was the door of the building, with a sign indicating “the consular section of the Syrian embassy”. Iran.” Windows shattered in a radius of 550 meters and many parked cars were damaged by the explosion.
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