The Iranian Revolutionary Guard announces the names of 7 military advisors and officers killed in an Israeli attack in Damascus
An official IRGC statement announced that seven IRGC officials were killed in the attack on Damascus, including prominent Iranian commanders Mohammad Reza Zahedi and Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi.
Haj Rahimi has been named as the second commander killed in the attack on the Iranian consulate building in the Syrian capital, according to a statement by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard published by the official Iranian news agency (IRNA), on Monday evening.
Haji Rahimi was reportedly the coordinator of the Quds Force, according to Iran's semi-official Tasnim News agency.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ statement also mentioned the names of five military advisors and other officers who were killed: “Hossein Aman Elahi, Mehdi Jalalati, Mohsen Sadaqat, Ali Agha Babaei, and Ali Salehi Rozbehani.
This brings the total number of deaths to at least seven people.
Iranian Ambassador Hossein Akbari said that the consulate building, which houses the ambassador’s residence and is located next to the Iranian embassy, “was targeted by six missiles from Israeli F-35 warplanes.”
CNN geolocated photos and videos on social media, showing smoke rising from the consulate building adjacent to the embassy, with fire engines appearing at the scene.
Akbari, speaking on camera to reporters in the capital, Damascus, said: “Between five and seven people were killed in the attack. I was in my office at the embassy at the time and witnessed the destruction myself.”
The commander of the Iranian Quds Force, Mohammad Reza Zahedi, was among those killed in the attack, according to the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Zahedi was a senior commander in the IRGC, and previously held positions as Commander of the IRGC Ground Forces, Commander of the IRGC Air Forces, and Deputy Commander of IRGC Operations.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said, “Iran reserves its right to take countermeasures. It will take the decision on the nature of the reaction and punish the aggressor.”
Akbari added that the Israeli attack “violates all international laws” and that Iran will “respond firmly.”
He added: “This may be the first time that the Zionist regime has allowed itself to attack an official building of the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, above which the flag of the Islamic Republic was raised.”
