Top Iranian General killed in Damascus
Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi was the top IRGC commander in Syria, responsible for overseeing the Quds Force's operations in Syria and Lebanon
An Israeli airstrike reportedly targeted and killed Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander within the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), in Damascus. Initial reports indicated that a minimum of six casualties occurred in the strike, which targeted a structure adjacent to the Iranian consulate. This location was reportedly utilized as a military command center for the IRGC. Syrian state media corroborated the toll, reporting a minimum of six fatalities and numerous injuries.
Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi was the top IRGC commander in Syria, responsible for overseeing the Quds Force's operations in Syria and Lebanon. His position made him the highest-ranking Iranian officer to have been killed since the US assassination of General Qasem Soleimani, then-Quds Force chief, in 2020.
Zahedi played a pivotal role in facilitating Iran's support and the transfer of weapons to Hezbollah, based in Lebanon. Additionally, he served as Iran's liaison with Hezbollah, the group that has been involved in engagements with Israel in the northern region since the October 7 attack by Hamas and allied groups.
Iran’s U.N. mission described the strike as a “flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter, international law, and the foundational principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises.”
In the wake of recent events, LTG Herzi Halevi, the Chief of the General Staff, convened a meeting in the Northern Command alongside the Commanding Officer of the Northern Command and other members of the General Staff. During this gathering, plans for the ongoing conflict were endorsed, and a comprehensive situational assessment was conducted. This meeting likely had significant implications for the broader regional dynamics.
