At least eleven people, including eight officials from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, were killed early Monday evening, April 1, in an air raid blamed on Israel against the headquarters of the Iranian consulate in Damascus, which was completely destroyed. Among the victims are the head of the al-Quds force, the unit responsible for external operations of this ideological army of the Islamic Republic, General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, his deputy General Mohammad Hajj Rahimi and a member of Lebanese Hezbollah, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The death of this high-ranking officer and his deputies constitutes a serious setback for Iran and its allies in Syria and Lebanon.
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With our correspondent in Beirut, Paul Khalifeh
You only need to consult the biography of Mohammad Zahedi to realize this. He is one of the most decorated officers in the corps. Iranian Revolutionary Guards of which he held the highest functions for the last four decades before devoting himself entirely to the development of relations between Iran and its regional allies, more particularly the Hezbollah.
The importance of the role played by this senior officer is clearly reflected in the press release published Monday evening by Hassan Nasrallah’s party. It is described there as “ the loyal and sincere friend » who shared with Hezbollah “ concerns and responsibilities in Lebanon and the region (…) to defend the cause of the oppressed and Palestine “.
Concretely, Mohammad Zahedi was responsible for providing Hezbollah with all the logistical and military aid necessary in the context of the strategic confrontation with Israel.
With his death and that of his top deputies, the Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon is virtually decapitated. This is a big blow for Iran and its allies.
First reactions to this unprecedented raid
Iran’s ambassador to Syria said the response will be ” decisive “. Hezbollah assured that “ this crime will not go unpunished and without revenge “. But the absence of an immediate military response is proof of the severity of the event.
In Tehran and Beirut, the time has come for consultation to study the best way to respond to this serious setback, without being drawn into all-out war. Because Iranian leaders and Hezbollah leaders are convinced that such a scenario would serve Israel’s interests.