A state of alert has been declared in Israel in case of possible Iranian retaliation. In the Middle East, there is fear of a new cycle of revenge.
On the second day of Passover, Israel attacked the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital, Damascus.
In this article, we collected key questions about the possible effects of the attack.
What happened?
Israel killed seven members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus with a precision missile strike.
Among other things, the commander of the air force and the ground force died in the attack Mohammed Reza Zahedi. A total of 13 people were killed.
How will Syria react?
In addition to the Iranian officers, six Syrian citizens were killed in the attack.
The consulate is located in the western part of Damascus in the Mezzeh district. Located along the highway, Mezzeh is also a residential area for Syrians. The attack, primarily aimed at Iranians, was carried out on Syrian soil.
Consulates are diplomatic properties. They have traditionally been considered untouched areas and damaging them is against international law.
What is Iran going to do?
Supreme religious leader of Iran Ali Khamenei has characterized the Israeli attack as “desperate”. According to him, Israel will not avoid defeat in Gaza. However, he did not elaborate on the scope or timing of the retaliation.
How does Israel prepare for possible retaliation?
Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu has in turn vowed revenge on those who harm Israel.
Security measures have been increased in Israel and a state of emergency has been declared. The Israeli armed forces have canceled holidays, are strengthening forces and calling up reservists.
What kind of consequences for the stability of the region?
Israel and the United States are strong allies. Iran supports the Palestinians in Gaza and anti-Israel armed groups such as Hezbollah.
The threat of extreme Islamic terror is estimated to be growing in different parts of the world, especially in Israeli diplomatic missions. The retaliation could be a cyber attack instead of an armed attack.
In October, the Palestinian extremist organization Hamas made a devastating attack on the Israeli side. As a result, Israel pushed into Gaza by force. The United States has also tightened its attitude towards Israel due to the continuation of the war in Gaza and the delay in the ceasefire.
Stock exchange rates were falling on Friday as tensions intensified in the Middle East.
Sources: AFP, Reuters
Sources in the story are also: Haaretz, BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera, Washington Post, Politico