The Iranian Revolutionary Guards confirmed on Monday evening that seven of its members, including two senior officers, were killed in an Israeli strike targeting the Iranian consulate in Damascus.
The Revolutionary Guards issued a statement vehemently condemning the attack, stating among the deceased were Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, the Quds Force commander for Syria and Lebanon, and his deputy, Brigadier General Mohammad Hadi Hajj Rahimi.
The Guards also announced the deaths of advisors Hussein Amanollahi, Mehdi Jalalati, Mohsen Sadeghat, and Ali Agha Babaei.
The statement from the Revolutionary Guards read: "The criminal Israeli operation (in Damascus) came after its irreparable defeats and the resilience of the people of Gaza."
Earlier, the Syrian Defense Ministry reported that Israel had launched an aerial attack on the Iranian consulate building, killing and injuring everyone inside and completely destroying the building.
Amid these events, the Iranian Foreign Minister called on the "international community" to take "serious action" against the Israeli bombardment targeting his country's consulate in Damascus.
In a conversation with his Syrian counterpart, Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian deemed the Israeli strike as a "violation of all international obligations and conventions," holding Israel "responsible for the consequences of this act" and emphasizing "the need for the international community to seriously respond to these criminal acts," according to a ministry statement.
Another statement released on Monday evening by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani indicated that Iran, "while reserving its right to take countermeasures, will decide the nature of the response and the punishment for the aggressor."
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