Top Iranian commander killed in reported Israeli airstrike in Syria

Simon Druker
·2 min read
2
Emergency and security personnel inspect the rubble at the site of strikes that hit a building annexed to the Iranian embassy in Syria's capital Damascus on Monday. Photo by Syrian Arab News Agency/UPI
Emergency and security personnel inspect the rubble at the site of strikes that hit a building annexed to the Iranian embassy in Syria's capital Damascus on Monday. Photo by Syrian Arab News Agency/UPI

April 1 (UPI) -- A senior Iranian military commander was killed Monday during an airstrike next to the country's embassy in Syria, according to Iranian media.

Mohammed Reza Zahedi was the top commander in the Quds Force of the notorious Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps in both Lebanon and Syria.

Iranian ambassador to Syria Hossein Akbari said Israel was responsible for the airstrike, which left several other members of the IRGC dead in Damascus.

The Syrian Ministry of Defense reported the airstrike occurred around 5 p.m. local time Monday.

Akbari accused Israeli jets of firing six missiles from the Golan Heights that hit the consular section of the building.

Emergency and security personnel inspect the rubble at the site of strikes that hit a building annexed to the Iranian embassy in Syria's capital Damascus on Monday. The strike, itself, took place on a building between the Iranian and Canadian embassies in the Syrian capital. Photo by Syrian Arab News Agency/UPI
Emergency and security personnel inspect the rubble at the site of strikes that hit a building annexed to the Iranian embassy in Syria's capital Damascus on Monday. The strike, itself, took place on a building between the Iranian and Canadian embassies in the Syrian capital. Photo by Syrian Arab News Agency/UPI

The strike, itself, took place on a building between the Iranian and Canadian embassies in the Syrian capital.

"The Zionist regime has acted against international laws, which will result in our decisive response," he told Iranian media outlets.

Emergency and security personnel inspect the rubble at the site of strikes that hit a building annexed to the Iranian embassy in Syria's capital Damascus on Monday. Hezbollah accused Israel of carrying out the attack, but Israel had not commented Monday afternoon. Photo by Syrian Arab News Agency/UPI
Emergency and security personnel inspect the rubble at the site of strikes that hit a building annexed to the Iranian embassy in Syria's capital Damascus on Monday. Hezbollah accused Israel of carrying out the attack, but Israel had not commented Monday afternoon. Photo by Syrian Arab News Agency/UPI

Hezbollah also is accusing Israel of carrying out the attack. Israel had not commented on the attack as of 2 p.m. EDT Monday.

"We do not comment on reports in the foreign media," an Israeli military spokesperson told the newspaper Israel Hayom.

A senior Iranian military commander was killed in Damascus on Monday during an airstrike next to the country’s embassy in Syria, according to Iranian media, which is accusing Israel of carrying out the attack. Photo by Youssef Dafawwi/EPA-EFE
A senior Iranian military commander was killed in Damascus on Monday during an airstrike next to the country’s embassy in Syria, according to Iranian media, which is accusing Israel of carrying out the attack. Photo by Youssef Dafawwi/EPA-EFE