An Israeli airstrike in Syria killed a top Iranian commander on Monday, prompting Iran to ominously warn Israel that it will “pay the price,” according to state media in Tehran.
Seyed Razi Mousavi, an adviser to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard who helped coordinate Tehran’s ties with Syria, was killed by an Israeli missile in Sayyida Zeinab, a Damascus suburb not far from a Shiite shrine, IRNA said, media said Iranian states.
Iran vowed to retaliate.
“This act is a sign of the frustration and weakness of the Zionist regime in the region, for which it will undoubtedly pay the price,” Iranian leader Ebrahim Raisi said, according to a Reuters translation.
Tehran described Mousavi as one of the most experienced Iranian officials in Syria.
A video purportedly showing the airstrike circulated on social media.
State media also described Mousavi as an ally of Qassem Soleimani, the late head of the IRGC’s infamous Quds Force.
Seyed Razi Mousavi (left) appears with Qassem Soleimani. Via REUTERS
Soleimani was killed in a US airstrike in Iraq in early 2020 after a series of clashes between the two nations.
Mousavi’s death marks a major escalation in tensions between Iran and Israel, which have already been simmering over Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
Iran has long been accused of supporting the Palestinian terrorist organization and other US-designated terrorist groups in the region, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.
Since war broke out in Israel in October, there have been fears that it could become a tinderbox leading to a broader regional war.
Seyed Razi Mousavi was working in Syria in a diplomatic capacity, Iran claims. via REUTERS Iranian leader Ebrahim Raisi promised retaliation. Via REUTERS
Mousavi is believed to have been the target of Israeli assassination attempts in the past, sources told Al Zajeera.
Iran also accused Israel of killing two IRGC personnel in Syria earlier this month.
Israel generally does not take responsibility for attacks on Iranian targets in Syria and has largely remained silent about its role in Mousavi’s alleged death.
But the Israel Defense Forces are preparing for Iranian retaliation. according to Axios.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn