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DAMASCUS (Reuters) -Iran’s consulate within the Syrian capital Damascus was flattened on Monday in what Syrian and Iranian media described as an Israeli air strike, a startling obvious escalation of battle within the Center East that will pit Israel towards Iran and its allies.
A Lebanese safety supply, chatting with Reuters, stated one of many lifeless was Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). Iranian state tv stated a number of Iranian diplomats had been killed.
Reuters reporters on the scene within the Mezzeh district of the Syrian capital noticed smoke rising from rubble of a constructing that had been flattened, and emergency autos parked outdoors. An Iranian flag hung from a pole in entrance of the particles. The Syrian and Iranian overseas ministers had been each noticed on the scene.
Israel, which has repeatedly hit Iranian targets throughout the six-month conflict in Gaza, declined to touch upon the incident, following its ordinary observe. An Israeli navy spokesperson stated: “We don’t touch upon experiences within the overseas media.”
Iran’s Tasnim information company stated 5 individuals had been killed within the Israeli strike. Syria’s SANA state information company reported an unspecified variety of deaths and accidents.
Because the Iranian-backed Palestinian faction Hamas’ assault on Israel on Oct. 7, Israel has ramped up airstrikes in Syria towards Lebanon’s Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia and Iran’s Guards, each of which assist the federal government of President Bashar al-Assad.
(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Peter Graff; Enhancing by Kevin Liffey)
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