"Israeli Airstrike in Syria Kills Six, Including IRGC Commander"

Israeli war planes destroyed the Iranian consulate in Damascus, killing at least seven people, including a senior commander in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds force. Iran condemned the attack as a violation of diplomatic norms and promised a harsh response. The strike removed a key figure in Iran’s military hierarchy, Brig Gen Mohammad Reza Zahedi, who commanded units in Lebanon and Syria and played a critical role in Iran’s relationship with Hezbollah and Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad. The incident follows a marked increase in violence between Israel and Hezbollah, as well as the resumption of violence by Iranian-backed militia in Iraq on US and Israeli positions.