Iran vows revenge after Israel's consulate strike

Iranian consulate in Syria after Israeli airstrike

Iran has vowed to retaliate against Israel's "crime" with "punishment and revenge"

(Image credit: Louai Beshara / AFP via Getty Images)

published 2 April 2024

What happened

An Israeli airstrike Monday on Iran's consulate in Damascus, Syria, killed seven officers of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, including Brig. Gen. Mohammad Reza Zahedi, head of operations in Syria and Lebanon, and his deputy, said Iranian state media. Israel, as customary, had no comment on the attack.

Israel has struck Iranian and Hezbollah targets in Syria for years, but "Monday's attack stood out both because of its location — in a diplomatic compound, traditionally exempted from hostilities — and because of the seniority of the apparent target," The Washington Post said. While the violence between Israel and Iran is "not yet an all-out regional conflict," Israel appears to be working to "expand" the battlefield, International Crisis Group's Ali Vaez said.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.