Antonio Hernández
An alleged Israeli airstrike in Syria on Monday reportedly resulted in the death of a high-ranking general from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.
According to reports from the Jerusalem Post, Iranian sources claim that Israeli F-35s targeted a building adjacent to Iran’s embassy in Damascus, resulting in the death of Mohammed Reza Zahedi, a prominent commander within the Quds Force overseeing operations in Lebanon and Syria.
Iranian media suggests that Zahedi was meeting with leaders of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a Gaza-based militant group, at the time of the strike.
Charles Lister, Director of the Syria Program at the Middle East Institute, described the airstrike as a significant escalation, noting the loss of Zahedi along with at least two other IRGC-QF generals, including Gen. Hossein Aminullah and Maj. Gen. Haj Rahimi.
Zahedi’s death marks the latest in a series of high-profile Iranian military figures targeted over the past six months, following Hamas’ October 7 attack against Israel. The New York Times characterizes Zahedi as one of the most senior Iranian commanders to have been killed by Israel.
Iran, along with its ally Hezbollah, has a history of targeting American and Israeli interests globally, with past attacks including the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut and the 1992 bombing of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires. Additionally, Iran was implicated in a foiled plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the U.S. in 2011.
The incident underscores the ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran, as well as the broader regional implications of their conflict.
