Khamenei Vows Israel Will Be ‘Punished’ for Bombing Iran’s Syria Consulate

 

The death toll in the bombing has increased to 13, including seven Iranians and six Syrians

by Dave DeCamp April 2, 2024 at 11:53 am ET 

CategoriesNewsTagsIran, Syria

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed on Tuesday that Israel will be “punished” for bombing Iran’s consulate building in Damascus, which killed senior members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

“The evil Zionist regime will be punished by our courageous men. We will make them regret this and other crimes like it, by God’s power and strength,” Khamenei said in a statement published on his official website.

The statement came as Iranian media reported the death toll in the Israeli attack has risen to 13, including seven Iranians and six Syrians. Among the dead were Gen. Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior IRGC commander who oversaw Quds Force operations in Syria and Lebanon, and his deputy, Gen. Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi.

Israel’s bombing of a diplomatic facility marks a huge escalation in its attacks on Iranians in the region. Since October 7, Israel has significantly ramped up its airstrikes in Syria and has killed several members of the IRGC, Zahedi being the most senior.

The aftermath of the strike in Damascus’ Mezzah district (Source: SANA)

Israel typically does not take credit for individual airstrikes in Syria and has maintained its policy of ambiguity with the consulate bombing but has strongly hinted it was responsible.

“We operate everywhere, every day, in order to prevent our enemies from gaining strength and in order to make it clear to anyone who acts against us – all over the Middle East – that the price for action against Israel will be a heavy one,” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Tuesday.

Israel appears to be trying to provoke a major regional war in hopes that the US would get directly involved. US officials have acknowledged to the media that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might view a full-blown war in Lebanon as key to his political survival. A regional war would also take attention and scrutiny away from Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza.

https://news.antiwar.com/2024/04/02/khamenei-vows-israel-will-be-punished-for-bombing-irans-syria-consulate/