News of War Staff Writer
Israeli Missile Strike in Damascus Kills Four Iranian Revolutionary Guards
In a missile strike conducted by Israel on Damascus, the capital of Syria, on Saturday, four members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, including the leader of the force's information division, were killed, a security source within the pro-Syrian alliance disclosed.
In Tehran, the Revolutionary Guards identified four military advisors who lost their lives in the Israeli strike, though their ranks were not specified. Iranian state television reported that the building targeted in the Syrian capital was the residence of Iranian advisors.
Israel, which has consistently conducted bombing operations against Iran's military and security presence in Syria, did not immediately respond to these events. The intensification of these strikes follows the attack on Israel by militants of the Iranian-supported Palestinian Islamist group Hamas from Gaza on Oct. 7.
The strike has been condemned by Iran as a "desperate attempt to spread instability in the region," as stated by state media.
The Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson, Nasser Kanaani, remarked, "Iran... reserves its right to respond to the organised terrorism of the fake Zionist regime at the suitable time and place."
Syrian state media reported an Israeli "aerial attack" on a building in Damascus's Mazzeh neighbourhood, mentioning that Syrian air defences intercepted several missiles.
The security source, aligned with groups close to Syria's government and its ally Iran, informed Reuters that the multi-storey building, used by Iranian advisors assisting President Bashar al-Assad's government, was completely demolished by "precision-targeted Israeli missiles."
Additionally, the source reported the death of a fifth individual, whose nationality was yet to be determined.
Essam Al-Amin, head of the Al-Mowasat Hospital in Damascus, told Reuters that they received one deceased and three injured persons, including a woman, following Saturday's attack.
The site of the strike, which was sealed off, saw the gathering of ambulances and fire trucks, with a Reuters journalist at the scene reporting that rescue efforts for individuals trapped under the debris continued throughout the day.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad, an Iranian-backed Palestinian faction active in Syria and Lebanon, denounced the air strike. However, they informed Reuters that none of their members were injured, refuting reports claiming their presence at the destroyed building.
Iran and its military allies in Syria have established a strong presence in extensive areas of eastern, southern, and northern Syria, as well as several suburbs around Damascus.
Previously in December, an Israeli air strike claimed the lives of two Guards members, and another strike near Damascus on Dec. 25 resulted in the death of a senior adviser to the Guards responsible for military coordination between Syria and Iran.