Iran’s consulate in Syria destroyed by suspected Israeli airstrike, several killed

Damascus: Iran’s consulate in the Syrian capital of Damascus was destroyed in a suspected Israeli airstrike, as claimed by Syrian and Iranian media, in an apparaent escalation of the conflict in the Middle East that is likely to pit Israel against Iran and its allies. Iranian media claimed several diplomats from Tehran were killed, while Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) was confirmed dead by a Lebanese security source.

Zahedi previously led the Iranian elite Quds Force in Lebanon and Syria until 2016. Meanwhile, smoke was seen coming from the rubble of a building that had been flattened, and emergency vehicles parked outside, according to Reuters. An Iranian flag hung from a pole in front of the debris. Israel, which has repeatedly hit Iranian targets during the six-month war in Gaza, declined to comment on the incident, following its usual practice.

Iran’s Tasnim news agency said five people were killed in the Israeli strike. Syria’s SANA state news agency reported an unspecified number of deaths and injuries. Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad told the media after meeting Iran’s ambassador, Hossein Akbari, that “several” people were killed, without further information.

More to follow..