Israel’s Targeted Assassinations Disrupt Iran’s Regional Network

Israel’s suspected targeting of IRGC members has intensified since the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip in October. Suspected Israeli air strikes have killed at least 18 members of the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the elite branch of Iran’s armed forces, in Syria since December. The recent spate of assassinations are not the first time that key Iranian military commanders have been targeted and killed abroad. Observers say the strategy is likely to disrupt the network’s activities in the short-term, although they warned that the tactic is risky and could backfire in the long-term. Iran has described the strike on its embassy compound as an attack on Iranian territory. Recent reports suggested Iran could strike the Golan Heights — Syrian territory occupied by Israeli forces since 1967 — because it believes it carries less risk of Israeli retaliation. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned on April 10 that Israel must be punished and will be punished. Iran’s threat to retaliate against Israel has put the region, already tense from the Gaza war, on edge. In the latest attack, seven IRGC members, including two generals, were killed in an air strike on the Iranian Embassy’s compound in Damascus on April 1. The attack on the Iranian Embassy’s compound in Damascus came just hours after a drone strike hit a naval base in the southern Israeli port of Eilat in the Red Sea. Hours after Soleimani’s death, his deputy, Esmail Qaani, was promoted. I wouldn’t exclude an Israeli response regardless, Horowitz said. Iran’s regional network is glued together through personal, not institutional, connections, said Ali Vaez, the director of the Iran Project at the Brussels-based International Crisis Group. Iran’s threat to retaliate against Israel has put the region, already tense from the Gaza war, on edge. Iran has described the strike on its embassy compound as an attack on Iranian territory. Recent reports suggested Iran could strike the Golan Heights — Syrian territory occupied by Israeli forces since 1967 — because it believes it carries less risk of Israeli retaliation. In the past, Iran has refrained from directly hitting Israel, instead opting to increase its support for the axis of resistance to take the fight to Israel. But the brazen attack in Damascus may compel Iran to take direct action, experts said. Israel’s suspected targeting of IRGC members has intensified since the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip in October. Iran’s threat to retaliate against Israel has put the region, already tense from the Gaza war, on edge. Hours after Soleimani’s death, his deputy, Esmail Qaani, was promoted. There’s always doubt as to whether these targeted assassinations work, said Michael Horowitz, the head of intelligence at the Bahrain-based Le Beck International consultancy. Iran’s threat to retaliate against Israel has put the region, already tense from the Gaza war, on edge. The recent spate of assassinations are not the first time that key Iranian military commanders have been targeted and killed abroad. Hours after Soleimani’s death, his deputy, Esmail Qaani, was promoted. Israel’s suspected targeting of IRGC members has intensified since the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip in October. Iran has described the strike on its embassy compound as an attack on Iranian territory. Recent reports suggested Iran could strike the Golan Heights — Syrian territory occupied by Israeli forces since 1967 — because it believes it carries less risk of Israeli retaliation. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned on April 10 that Israel must be punished and will be punished. The attack on the Iranian Embassy’s compound in Damascus came just hours after a drone strike hit a naval base in the southern Israeli port of Eilat in the Red Sea. Iran’s threat to retaliate against Israel has put the region, already tense from the Gaza war, on edge. In the past, Iran has refrained from directly hitting Israel, instead opting to increase its support for the axis of resistance to take the fight to Israel. But the brazen attack in Damascus may compel Iran to take direct action, experts said.urarilytrigger a full-blown war between the foes and likely drag in the United States, experts said. Israel’s suspected targeting of IRGC members has intensified since the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip in October. Hours after Soleimani’s death, his deputy, Esmail Qaani, was promoted. There’s always doubt as to whether these targeted assassinations work, said Michael Horowitz, the head of intelligence at the Bahrain-based Le Beck International consultancy. Iran’s threat to retaliate against Israel has put the region, already tense from the Gaza war, on edge. The recent spate of assassinations are not the first time that key Iranian military commanders have been targeted and killed abroad. Hours after Soleimani’s death, his deputy, Esmail Qaani, was promoted. Israel’s suspected targeting of IRGC members has intensified since the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip in October. Iran has described the strike on its embassy compound as an attack on Iranian territory. Recent reports suggested Iran could strike the Golan Heights — Syrian territory occupied by Israeli forces since 1967 — because it believes it carries less risk of Israeli retaliation. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned on April 10 that Israel must be punished and will be punished. The attack on the Iranian Embassy’s compound in Damascus came just hours after a drone strike hit a naval base in the southern Israeli port of Eilat in the Red Sea. Iran’s threat to retaliate against Israel has put the region, already tense from the Gaza war, on edge. In the past, Iran has refrained from directly hitting Israel, instead opting to increase its support for the axis of resistance to take the fight to Israel. But the brazen attack in Damascus may compel Iran to take direct action, experts said. Israel’s suspected targeting of IRGC members has intensified since the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip in October. Iran’s threat to retaliate against Israel has put the region, already tense from the Gaza war, on edge. Hours after Soleimani’s death, his deputy, Esmail Qaani, was promoted. There’s always doubt as to whether these targeted assassinations work, said Michael Horowitz, the head of intelligence at the Bahrain-based Le Beck International consultancy. Iran’s threat to retaliate against Israel has put the region, already tense from the Gaza war, on edge. The recent spate of assassinations are not the first time that key Iranian military commanders have been targeted and killed abroad. Hours after Soleimani’s death, his deputy, Esmail Qaani, was promoted. Israel’s suspected targeting of IRGC members has intensified since the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip in October. Iran has described the strike on its embassy compound as an attack on Iranian territory. Recent reports suggested Iran could strike the Golan Heights — Syrian territory occupied by Israeli forces since 1967 — because it believes it carries less risk of Israeli retaliation. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned on April 10 that Israel must be punished and will be punished. The attack on the Iranian Embassy’s compound in Damascus came just hours after a drone strike hit a naval base in the southern Israeli port of Eilat in the Red Sea. Iran’s threat to retaliate against Israel has put the region, already tense from the Gaza war, on edge. In the past, Iran has refrained from directly hitting Israel, instead opting to increase its support for the axis of resistance to take the fight to Israel. But the brazen attack in Damascus may compel Iran to take direct action, experts said.