Following the attack in Damascus attributed to Israel in which Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Mohammad Reza Zahedi was killed alongside other Iranian military officials, foreign media claimed F-35 fighter jets were involved in the strike near the Iranian embassy in the city.
While Israel hasn’t taken responsibility for the attack, the New York Times reported Monday, citing Israeli sources, that Jerusalem was the one behind the operation. According to the report, the target was a "secret meeting" between senior Iranian intelligence officials from the Quds Force and senior officials of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). However, the report didn’t specify whether PIJ leader Ziyad al-Nakhalah, who was seen in Iran last week, was present at the meeting.
According to the Iranian ambassador in Syria, two F-35 jets fired missiles at the building belonging to the Iranian embassy in Damascus, and that adjacent to it. Footage from the scene showed the strike was precise, hitting only its target without any collateral damage to other buildings nearby.
Syria claimed their air defense systems managed to intercept "some of the missiles" fired at the building. The results of the attack were deadly nevertheless - and the Syrians themselves admitted that the building was completely destroyed, and everyone inside it was killed.
According to Iranian reports, Zahedi was killed alongside his deputy Haji Rahimi alongside five other officers.
Iran initially claimed the attack targeted the consulate building, and diplomats were also killed in the attack to try and portray Israel as violating international law. However, the building actually served as a military command post in practice - although it belonged to the embassy and enjoyed its protection. Therefore, Israeli sources told to The New York Times that it was a legitimate military target that didn’t benefit from the usual protection afforded to consulates.
The Russian Foreign Ministry didn’t accept the Israeli explanations, and argued that "any attack on diplomatic and consular facilities - whose immunity is guaranteed by the Vienna Convention - is categorically unacceptable." The ministry also noted that the area near the scene of the attack is densely populated, and could have cost civilian lives. Additionally, Russia called on Israel to "abandon the practice of provocative actions in Syria and neighboring countries."
Scene of attack in Damascus
