Iran Vows Revenge Against Israel for Killing Top General in Syria
Iran’s elite armed forces have vowed to take revenge on Israel for the killing of senior commander Razi Moussavi in a recent airstrike in Syria. The general’s death comes amidst heightened tensions in the region due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
According to state media, the Israeli army carried out a missile strike near Damascus, resulting in the death of General Moussavi on Monday. The Israeli army, however, refused to comment on the reports.
The body of Moussavi, who served as a commander in the Guards’ foreign operations arm, the Quds Force, was transported to Iraq for funeral rites at Shiite Muslim holy sites. His burial in Iran is scheduled for Thursday.
Ramezan Sharif, spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), issued a warning, stating that Iran’s response to Moussavi’s assassination would involve direct action and coordination with other parties aligned with the Axis of Resistance, as reported by local Mehr news agency.
Sharif suggested that the Israeli targeted killing of the general near Damascus may be a result of Israeli failures following the Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, referencing the October 7 attacks launched by Hamas against Israel.
The Hamas attack resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,140 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP) figures. In response, Israel has launched a relentless bombardment and ground invasion, causing the deaths of at least 21,110 Palestinians, primarily women and children.
The Gaza conflict has reverberated throughout the Middle East, drawing in armed groups supported by Iran in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. While Iran financially and militarily supports Hamas, it denies any direct involvement in the recent attacks, hailing them as a success.
President Ebrahim Raisi emphasized that Iran sees it as its duty to support the resistance groups but maintains that these groups act independently in their decision-making and actions.
Sharif accused Israel of attempting to expand the war into other geographical areas by assassinating Moussavi. In Iraq, hundreds of mourners gathered for memorial prayers for the fallen general, chanting slogans against America.
Hashd al-Shabi members, former pro-Iranian paramilitary units integrated into Iraq’s regular armed forces, served as pallbearers during the commemoration ceremonies. The remains were then taken to Karbala, another shrine city, before being repatriated to Iran.
Iran’s ambassador to Iraq, Mohammed al-Sadiq, labeled Moussavi’s death as the latest crime on Israel’s list.
