Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus

Last updated

Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus
Part of the 2024 Iran–Israel conflict, the Israel–Hamas war, the Iran–Israel conflict during the Syrian civil war, the Israel–Hezbollah conflict and the Iran–Israel proxy conflict
Location
Mezzeh, Damascus, Syria

33°30′14.0″N36°15′37.6″E / 33.503889°N 36.260444°E / 33.503889; 36.260444
TargetIran's Damascus consulate building
Date1 April 2024 (2024-04-01)
c. 17:00 [1] (UTC+3)
Executed byFlag of Israel.svg  Israel [2] [lower-alpha 1]
OutcomeBuilding destroyed, targeted people and civilians killed
Casualties16 killed [3] [4]
  • 7 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps soldiers
  • 5 Iran-backed militiamen
  • 1 Hezbollah fighter
  • 1 Iranian advisor
  • 2 civilians
Syria adm location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location of the consulate in Syria
Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus
Location of consular building of Iranian embassy in Damascus

On 1 April 2024, Israel conducted an airstrike on the Iranian embassy complex in Damascus, Syria, destroying the building housing its consular section. [5] [1] [6] Sixteen people were killed in the strike, including eight officers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and two Syrian civilians. [3] [4] The airstrike took place during a period of heightened tension between Israel and Iran, and amidst the Israel–Hamas war and the Israel–Hezbollah conflict.

Contents

Numerous countries and international organizations condemned the attack. On 13 April 2024, Iran retaliated against the attack with missile and drone strikes in Israel, [7] [8] [9] [10] stating that it was targeting the military base from which Israel had launched the attack. [11]

Background

Previous Israeli attacks against Iran

Since 2010, Iran (and others) have accused Israel of killing Iranian nuclear scientists inside Iran. [12] In 2018, Israeli spies raided an Iranian military facility in Tehran. [12] [13] In February 2022, Israel is accused of having assassinating an Iranian commander in Tehran. [12] Iran also accused Israel of attacking a military facility in Isfahan in January 2023. [12]

Syrian civil war

Since 2013 Iran has maintained a presence of its troops in Syria in response to the Syrian civil war, as Syria is a crucial ally of Iran. Additionally, it has been involved in training and funding paramilitary forces from Hezbollah, along with foreign militias from Iraq and Afghanistan, not only in Syria but also in neighboring Lebanon. [14] Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Israel has conducted hundreds of airstrikes targeting Hezbollah assets within the country. [15]

With the onset of the Israel–Hamas war in October 2023, Israel has increased the intensity of its attacks on Syria. [16] From 12 to 22 October 2023, Israel launched at least three attacks on airports in Syria, particularly on Damascus and Aleppo. [17] [18] Notably, Israel carried out the assassination of Razi Mousavi, a senior Iranian general, in the Syrian capital of Damascus on 25 December 2023, and Brigadier General Sadegh Omidzadeh, an intelligence officer with the IRGC Quds Force, on 20 January 2024. [19] [20] [21]

Iranian consular building

The target of the attack was a five-storey consular building, which contained the residence of the Iranian ambassador to Syria. [22] The building was next to the main Iranian embassy in Damascus. [22] In front of the building was a plaque that read that the building belongs to the "consular section of the Iranian embassy". [23] The Israeli attack destroyed the entire building. The Iranian ambassador survived, as he was in the building adjacent to his residence at the time of the attack. [24]

Iranian Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, was staying in this building at the time of the attack, along with two other commanders. [25] The government of Syria has been inviting Iranian officers to serve as military advisors since 2011. [25] Most embassies around the world host military and intelligence personnel. [26] Analysts opined that the Iranian officers likely felt protected by international norms that prohibit attacks against diplomatic missions. [25] Sources suggest that the Iranian officers were discussing "operational logistics and coordination", [25] or may have been meeting with members from Palestinian Islamic Jihad. [27]

Attack

On April 1, the Iranian consulate annex building (hosting the Iranian ambassador's residence) in the Iranian embassy complex in Damascus was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike. Iranian ambassador Hossein Akbari alleged that the consulate building "was targeted with six missiles from Israeli F-35 warplanes". [28] The Guardian stated that Israeli warplanes were responsible for the attack. [29] The New York Times (NYT) stated that four Israeli officials anonymously confirmed Israeli responsibility for the attack. [30] Various other media outlets did not definitively attribute the attack to Israel, and the Israeli government refused to comment on the matter. [31] [32] [33] [34]

The suspected primary target of the attack was the Quds Force commander of the IRGC, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, who was killed in the attack. According to The Guardian, Zahedi was a critical figure in the relationship between Iran and Hezbollah. [35] [36]

Footage and photos from the consulate area after the attack showed extensive damage, fire, and smoke. [28] Iranian media reported that the building had been completely destroyed and that the ambassador and his family, who were housed in the embassy next door, were unharmed. [37]

The unused Canadian embassy building on the other side of the consular building was also damaged in the attack, with at least some of its windows destroyed. It has been closed since 2012 because of the Syrian civil war, but it is still owned by the Canadian government. [38]

Casualties

Sixteen were killed in total, including seven Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) soldiers, five Iran-backed militiamen, one Hezbollah fighter, one Iranian advisor, and two civilians (a Syrian woman and her child). [3] [4]

In addition to Zahedi, casualties included Zahedi's deputy Brigadier General Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi and five Iranian officials: Hossein Aman Elahi, Sayid Mehdi Jalalati, Ali Agha Babaei, Sayid Ali Salehi Roozbahani, and Mohsen Sedaghat. [35] Zahedi was the most senior IRGC officer to be killed since the assassination of Qasem Soleimani by the U.S. in January 2020. [39] According to Bloomberg the IRGC command wing in Syria was eliminated in the strike. [40]

Analysis

Journalists Peter Beaumont and Emma Graham-Harrison of The Guardian wrote that the Israeli strike was a miscalculation that had "bulldozed through every red line to attack a location that Tehran maintains was tantamount to attacking Iranian soil." [41]

Sanam Vakil, the director of the Middle East and North Africa programme at the Chatham House think tank, stated that the Damascus attack and the "breach" of the Vienna convention was "the straw that broke the camel's back." [41]

Legality

Diplomatic premises, like homes and schools, are considered "civilian objects" under international law.

Diplomatic buildings are entitled to further protections from attack or other interference by the host country under international customary law, codified in the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the 1963 Convention on Consular Relations. [42] However, the responsibilities under the Convention only apply to the host country, in this case Syria, with the Convention saying nothing about attacks by third states in foreign countries. [43] [44]

A UN-commissioned panel of experts on international law consisting of Ben Saul, Morris Tidball-Binz, Javaid Rehman, Livingstone Sewanyana, and Cecilia M. Bailliet wrote that Israel had provided no legal justification for the attack, and had failed to report it to the United Nations Security Council. Therefore, in their view, it violated Article 2(4) banning recourse to force against another state. They also issued a warning that the Israeli officials involved in the strike might have committed crimes. [45] The subsequent Iranian retaliation was also, in their view, prohibited under international law, since self-defense is only justified to deter continuing armed attacks, and the strike on the Iranian Embassy had ended 12 days earlier. [46]

Aurel Sari, a professor of international law at Exeter University, argued that as a third state, Israel "is not bound by the law of diplomatic relations with regard to Iran's Embassy in Syria," [44] however "unless Israel was able to justify the airstrike as an act of self-defense" it would be in violation of Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter. Whether self-defense can justify an attack on the territory of a third country is a subject of academic debate. [44]

Reactions

International

.mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{} Countries that condemned the Israeli attacks on the Iranian embassy. Countries that expressed concern. Countries that expressed concern and called for more investigation. Condemnation of the attack on Iranian consulate.svg
  Countries that condemned the Israeli attacks on the Iranian embassy.
  Countries that expressed concern.
  Countries that expressed concern and called for more investigation.

Official entities from many countries condemned the attack and considered it a violation of the international laws, including the Prime Minister of Iraq, [48] the Prime Minister of Spain, [49] the President of Nicaragua, [50] and the foreign ministries of Afghanistan, [51] Algeria, [52] Armenia, [53] Brazil, [54] Belarus, [55] China, [56] Cuba, [57] Egypt, [58] Indonesia, [59] Jordan,[ citation needed ] Italy, [60] Kazakhstan, [61] Kuwait, [62] Lebanon, [63] Libya, [64] Malaysia, [59] Maldives, [65] Mauritania, [66] Norway, [67] [68] Oman, [69] Pakistan, [70] Qatar, [71] Russia [72] (which called it a "political killing" [73] ), Saudi Arabia, [74] South Africa, [75] Sierra Leone, [47] Tajikistan, [76] Tunisia, [77] [78] Turkey, [79] United Arab Emirates, [80] Uzbekistan, [81] Venezuela, [82] Vietnam, [83] as well as the Spokesperson for Yemen's Ansar Allah.[ citation needed ] The Foreign Ministry of Kyrgyzstan expressed concern. [84]

The spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General condemned the attack on 1 April. [85]

Russia requested the UN Security Council to discuss the strike. [86] A statement condemning the attack was drafted by Russia to be issued by the Security Council, but the Western member states opposed the issuance of any statement. [87] [88] [89] During the briefing in the United Nations Security Council, the representatives of many countries (such as Ecuador, Guyana, Slovenia, South Korea, and Switzerland) noted that any attack on diplomatic and consular premises violates the Charter of the United Nations as well as the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. They also expressed concern that the incident could further escalate the regional conflict. The representative of Japan only expressed concern, and the representative of the United Kingdom noted the importance of "respect ... for diplomatic premises", but also criticized Iran. [47] The spokesman of the United States National Security Council only stated that the US was not involved and had no prior knowledge of the attack. [90] Israel had notified the US in advance that it would be operating in Syria, but did not identify the target. [91] The Representative of Russia criticized the statements made by the US and others including France, considering them to be double standard. [47]

United States officials said Israel had notified the US in advance that it would be operating in Syria, but did not identify the target. A Pentagon spokesperson said Israel had provided no advance warning of the strike. [91]

The Arab League, [92] the European Union, [93] [94] [95] the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), [96] the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), [97] as well as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) [98] also condemned the attack.

Israel

The Israeli military spokesman claimed that the building is neither a consulate nor an embassy, but a military building of Quds forces "disguised as a civilian structure in Damascus". [99] Israel told the U.S. that a retaliatory attack by Iran would prompt a robust response from Israel. [100] [101]

Seven Israeli embassies were evacuated in response to the potential threat of an Iranian retaliatory attack, after Iran publicly blamed Israel and vowed retaliation. [102] The IDF deployed GPS jamming systems within Tel Aviv to safeguard against potential aerial attacks by Iran. [103] Initial U.S. intelligence anticipated a significant attack on U.S. or Israeli assets as soon as the week of 8–12 April. [104]

Iran

Ali Khamenei leading the funeral for the IRGC soldiers on 4 April 39726 Khamenei prayer dead.jpg
Ali Khamenei leading the funeral for the IRGC soldiers on 4 April

In several cities across Iran, including the capital, Tehran, as well as Tabriz and Isfahan, large crowds of protesters gathered waving Palestinian and Iranian flags and demanding revenge. [105] [106] The Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei vowed a harsh response to the attack. Khamenei's political advisor Ali Shamkhani, said that the United States remains directly responsible. [107] Iran also sent a letter to the United Nations Security Council, saying it "reserves its legitimate and inherent right to respond decisively". [108] Syria's Foreign Minister condemned the attack, calling it a terrorist attack. [109]

On 5 April 2024, Iran told the United States to "step aside" as it prepared for retaliation against Israel. [110] On 13 April 2024, the Iranian military launched its Operation True Promise, [111] attacking Israel from its own soil for the first time, [112] firing more than 300 standoff weapons at Israel, including at least 170 aerial drones, 30 cruise missiles, and 120 ballistic missiles. The attack, which constituted the largest single drone attack in history, was described as a success by Iran [113] and as a failure by Israel, the latter saying that its air defenses, buttressed by those of allies, destroyed almost all the incoming weapons before they could reach their targets. [114] [115] That same day, the IRGC Navy boarded and seized Portuguese container ship MSC Aries in the Strait of Hormuz via helicopter, claiming it as "linked to Israel" [116] and "violating maritime laws". [117] On 18 April 16 shipping associations sent a joint letter to the United Nations requesting every effort to release the captive crew of MSC Aries, and for "enhanced military presence, missions and patrols in the region to protect seafarers", [118]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Israel has not officially claimed responsibility for the attack.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iran–United States relations after 1979</span> Overview of Iranian–American relations after the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran

Since the Iranian Revolution in 1979, the Islamic Republic of Iran has been embroiled in tense relations with the U.S. and its allies. Following the hostage crisis, both countries severed relations. Since then, both countries have been involved in numerous direct confrontations, diplomatic incidents, and proxy wars throughout the Middle East, which has caused the tense nature of the relationship between the two to be called an 'international crisis'. Both countries have often accused each other of breaking international law on several occasions. The U.S. has often accused Iran of sponsoring terrorism and of illegally maintaining a nuclear program, as well as using strong rhetoric against Israel, of which Iran has questioned its legitimacy and its right to exist while supporting Hamas, an antizionist terrorist group in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, Iran has often accused the U.S. of human rights violations and of meddling in their affairs, especially within the Iranian Democracy Movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iran–Israel proxy conflict</span> Ongoing conflict in Western Asia

The Iran–Israel proxy conflict, also known as the Iran–Israel proxy war or Iran–Israel Cold War, is an ongoing proxy conflict between Iran and Israel. In the Israeli–Lebanese conflict, Iran has supported Lebanese Shia militias, most notably Hezbollah. In the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Iran has backed Palestinian groups such as Hamas. Israel has supported Iranian rebels, such as the People's Mujahedin of Iran, conducted airstrikes against Iranian allies in Syria and assassinated Iranian nuclear scientists. In 2018 Israeli forces directly attacked Iranian forces in Syria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">May 2013 Rif Dimashq airstrikes</span>

The May 2013 Rif Dimashq airstrikes were a series of aerial attacks made on targets in Syria on 3 and 5 May 2013. The 3 May attack was on targets at Damascus International Airport. The 5 May attacks were on targets at Jamraya, and the Al-Dimas and Maysalun areas in Rif Dimashq. Although officially Israel neither confirmed nor denied its involvement, former Mossad director Danny Yatom and former government member Tzachi Hanegbi inferred Israel's involvement in the attack. Official Syrian sources denied any attack on its soil on 3 May, but did accuse Israel for the attacks on 5 May.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iranian intervention in the Syrian civil war</span>

The Islamic Republic of Iran and the Syrian Arab Republic are close strategic allies, and Iran has provided significant support for the Syrian government in the Syrian civil war, including logistical, technical and financial support, as well as training and some combat troops. Iran sees the survival of the Syrian government as being crucial to its regional interests. When the uprising developed into the Syrian Civil War, there were increasing reports of Iranian military support, and of Iranian training of the National Defence Forces both in Syria and Iran. From late 2011 and early 2012, Iran's IRGC began sending tens of thousands of Iranian troops and foreign paramilitary volunteers in coordination with the Syrian government to prevent the collapse of the Syrian Arab Army; thereby polarising the conflict along sectarian lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohammad Reza Zahedi</span> Iranian military officer (1960–2024)

Mohammad Reza Zahedi was an Iranian military officer. A senior figure within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), he had previously commanded the IRGC Aerospace Force and the IRGC Ground Forces, and was commanding the Quds Force in Lebanon and Syria at the time of his death.

The Iran–Israel conflict during the Syrian civil war refers to the Iranian–Israeli standoff in and around Syria during the Syrian conflict. With increasing Iranian involvement in Syria from 2011 onwards, the conflict shifted from a proxy war into a direct confrontation by early 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Erbil missile attacks</span> Missile attacks on Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

The 2022 Erbil missile attacks occurred on 13 March 2022 when multiple ballistic missiles were launched by the Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps from East Azerbaijan province, Iran, against the city of Erbil in Kurdistan Region, Iraq.

On 18 February, an airstrike, suspected to have been carried out by the Israeli Air Force, targeted sites in the Damascus Governorate, including a residential building. Fifteen people were killed, and another fifteen were injured.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq, Jordan, and Syria during the Israel–Hamas war</span> Armed conflict

Starting on 17 October 2023, and in response to United States support for Israel in the Israel–Hamas war, Iran-backed militias initiated a coordinated series of more than 170 attacks on U.S. military bases and assets in Syria, Iraq, and Jordan. These attacks resulted in injuries to dozens of U.S. service members. In retaliation, the U.S. has launched multiple counterattacks, resulting in the death of over 30 militants including a senior commander of the Nujaba Movement, Mushtaq Talib al-Saidi. In February 2024, following U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, militia attacks against U.S. forces were halted.

Events in the year 2024 in Iran.

Events in the year 2024 in Syria.

Razi Mousavi was an Iranian military officer serving in the IRGC's Quds Force. He was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Sayyidah Zaynab, Rif-Dimashq, Syria during the Israel–Hamas war. At the time of his death, Mousavi was described as Iran's most influential military commander in Syria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sadegh Omidzadeh</span> Iranian general (died 2024)

Sadegh Omidzadeh, also known as Hojatollah Omidvar, was an Iranian general and head of the Quds Force intelligence unit in Syria. He was killed by an Israeli airstrike during the Israel–Hamas war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middle Eastern crisis (2023–present)</span> Ongoing period of increased instability in the Middle East

The Middle Eastern crisis is a series of conflicts and heightened instability in the Middle East which began with the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 and the war that followed, leading to a major escalation of the existing tensions between Israel and Iran. This has resulted in several proxy conflicts breaking out across the Middle East involving both sides.

In the southeastern border province of Sistan and Balochistan, an attack on an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) headquarters happened on the night of 4 April 2024. At least 16 Iranian security force members were killed in this attack. The clashes occurred in the towns of Chabahar, Rask and Sarbaz. Jaish ul-Adl, a Sunni armed group, was involved in the attack and lost at least 16 members during the clashes. This incident is one of the deadliest attacks carried out by Jaish ul-Adl. The region has a predominantly Sunni Muslim population and has witnessed frequent clashes between Iranian security forces and militants. The attack took place following an Israeli missile strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria that killed Quds Force Brigadier-General Mohammad Reza Zahedi and his deputy, General Mohammad Hadi Hajriahimi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 Iran–Israel conflict</span> Military conflict between Iran and Israel

In 2024, the Iran–Israel proxy conflict escalated to a series of direct confrontations between the two countries. On 1 April, Israel bombed an Iranian consulate complex in Damascus, Syria, killing multiple senior Iranian officials. In response, Iran and its Axis of Resistance allies seized the Israeli-linked ship MSC Aries and launched strikes inside Israel on 13 April. Israel then carried out retaliatory strikes in Iran and Syria on 19 April.

On 13 April 2024, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), a branch of the Iranian Armed Forces, in collaboration with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, and the Ansar Allah (Houthis), launched retaliatory attacks against Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights with loitering munitions, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. The attack was codenamed by Iran as Operation True Promise. Iran said it was retaliation for the Israeli bombing of the Iranian embassy in Damascus on 1 April, which killed two Iranian generals. The strike was seen as a spillover of the Israel–Hamas war and marked Iran's first direct attack on Israel since the start of their proxy conflict.

Many countries and organizations across the world have reacted to the Israeli attack against the Iranian embassy in Damascus.

On 19 April 2024 at 5:23 a.m. IRST, the Israeli Air Force launched airstrikes targeting an air defense facility within Iran. The limited airstrikes targeted an air defense radar site at an airbase near Isfahan, in central Iran. Israeli missiles appear to have hit their target directly. Satellite images suggest that a surface-to-air missile battery was damaged or destroyed. There was no extensive damage to the base itself. The attack was launched in response to the Iranian drone and missile strikes in Israel, which itself was an Iranian retaliation for the Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">October 2024 Israeli strikes on Iran</span>

On 26 October 2024, Israel launched three waves of strikes against 20 locations in Iran and other locations in Iraq, and Syria, codenamed Operation Days of Repentance by Israel. The attack marked the first time since the 1980s that Iran has faced a sustained assault from a foreign adversary. Israel said the strikes were launched in response to the Iranian strikes against Israel earlier that month.

References

  1. 1 2 Bowen, Jeremy; Gritten, David (1 April 2024). "Israel accused of deadly strike on Iranian consulate in Syria". BBC News . Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  2. ↑ George, Susannah (1 April 2024). "Israeli strike on Iranian Consulate in Damascus kills key commander, Iran says". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 "Death toll update | 14 people killed in Israel attack on building of the Iranian embassy in Damascus". Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 2 April 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 "Woman and her son among 16 people killed in Israeli raid on building attached to Iranian embassy". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights . 3 April 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  5. ↑ Bergman, Ronen; Fassihi, Farnaz; Schmitt, Eric; Entous, Adam; Pérez-Peña, Richard (17 April 2024). "Miscalculation Led to Escalation in Clash Between Israel and Iran". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on 18 April 2024. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  6. ↑ "Iran vows response after strike it blames on Israel demolishes consulate in Syria". ABC News. 1 April 2024. Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  7. ↑ "Iran launches air attack on Israel, with drones 'hours' away". Al Jazeera . 13 April 2024. Archived from the original on 13 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  8. ↑ "Israel braces as Iran launches wave of retaliatory strikes". CNN . 13 April 2024. Archived from the original on 13 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  9. ↑ Tanyos, Faris; Tabachnick, Cara (13 April 2024). "Iran launches drones toward Israel in retaliatory attack after consulate strike in Syria – CBS News". CBS News . Archived from the original on 13 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  10. ↑ Boxerman, Aaron; Bergman, Ronen; Fassihi, Farnaz; Schmitt, Eric (13 April 2024). "Live Updates: Israel Reports Light Damage After Iran Launches Large Strike". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 16 April 2024. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  11. ↑ Picheta, Rob (14 April 2024). "Why Iran attacked Israel and what comes next". CNN. Retrieved 18 July 2024. Tehran's attack targeted the Nevatim airbase, an Iranian army official said on Sunday, alleging that this is where Israel's early April strike on the Iranian consulate was launched from.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "Bombs and viruses: The shadowy history of Israel's attacks on Iranian soil". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on 19 April 2024. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  13. ↑ Warrick, Joby (17 July 2018). "Papers stolen in a daring Israeli raid on Tehran archive reveal the extent of Iran's past weapons research". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286. Archived from the original on 2 May 2023. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  14. ↑ "Exclusive: Iran's Guards pull officers from Syria after Israeli strikes". Reuters. 1 February 2024. Archived from the original on 27 March 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  15. ↑ "Israel says it launched 200 strikes in Syria since 2017". Al Jazeera. 5 September 2018. Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  16. ↑ "Israel shifts to deadlier strikes on Iran-linked targets in Syria". Reuters. 8 January 2024. Archived from the original on 13 March 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  17. ↑ "Syria says Israeli missiles hit Damascus, Aleppo airports". Reuters . 12 October 2023. Archived from the original on 12 October 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  18. ↑ "Israeli attack on Syrian Aleppo airport puts it out of service". Reuters . 14 October 2023. Archived from the original on 16 October 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  19. ↑ "Israeli airstrike in Syria kills senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards member". Reuters. 26 December 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  20. ↑ "At least 4 killed in Israel strike on Damascus, Syrian media". Ynetnews. 20 January 2024. Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  21. ↑ "Iranian general killed in Syria, says IRGC's source". Trend.Az. 20 January 2024. Archived from the original on 1 February 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  22. 1 2 Makki, Danny. "Like a war zone: Damascus residents stunned after Israel's strike on Iran embassy compound". The National.
  23. ↑ "Was Iran's embassy in Syria really spared by the Israeli raid?". The Observers - France 24. 29 April 2024. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  24. ↑ "Iranian embassy attack has Israel, Middle East on edge – DW – 04/12/2024". dw.com.
  25. 1 2 3 4 "Iran embassy strike shows Israel's growing reach as Mideast boils". Reuters. 5 April 2024. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  26. ↑ Heine, Jorge (9 April 2024). "Are embassies off-limits? Ecuadorian and Israeli actions suggest otherwise − and that sets a dangerous diplomatic precedent". The Conversation. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  27. ↑ Fassihi, Farnaz; Bergman, Ronen; Schmitt, Eric (9 April 2024). "Iran Smuggles Arms to West Bank, Officials Say, to Foment Unrest With Israel". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 19 April 2024. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  28. 1 2 Alam, Hande Atay; Pourahmadi, Adam; John, Tara; Kent, Lauren (1 April 2024). "Iran accuses Israel of killing Iranian military commander and others in airstrike on consulate in Syria". CNN. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  29. ↑ Patrick Wintour (1 April 2024). "Iran vows revenge after two generals killed in Israeli strike on Syria consulate". TheGuardian.com . ISSN   1756-3224. Wikidata   Q125471957. Archived from the original on 14 April 2024.
  30. ↑ Farnaz Fassihi; Ronen Bergman; Aaron Boxerman; Hiba Yazbek; Michael Levenson (1 April 2024). "3 Top Iranian Commanders Are Reported Killed in Israeli Strike in Syria". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331. Wikidata   Q125472080. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024.
  31. ↑ Regan, Helen; Alkhshali, Hamdi; Qiblawi, Tamara (2 April 2024). "Iran vows revenge as it accuses Israel of deadly airstrike on Syria consulate in deepening Middle East crisis". CNN. Archived from the original on 15 April 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  32. ↑ "Iran accuses Israel of killing generals in Syria strike". 1 April 2024. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  33. ↑ Hidler, James; Arraf, Jane (1 April 2024). "Iranian officials accuse Israel of a deadly attack on Iran's consulate in Syria". NPR . Archived from the original on 5 April 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  34. ↑ "Iranian embassy attack has Israel, Middle East on edge – DW – 04/12/2024". dw.com. Archived from the original on 16 April 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  35. 1 2 Chao-Fong, Léonie (1 April 2024). "Middle East crisis live: Iran says it holds Israel responsible for Damascus consulate attack and will 'reciprocate when we want'". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  36. ↑ Wintour, Patrick (1 April 2024). "Iran vows revenge after two generals killed in Israeli strike on Syria consulate". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  37. ↑ "6 killed as Israel strikes Iran embassy annex in Damascus: monitor". France 24. 1 April 2024. Archived from the original on 4 April 2024. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  38. ↑ Dyer, Evan (9 April 2024). "Canadian embassy in Syria damaged in Israeli strike on Iranian embassy next door". CBC News . Archived from the original on 10 April 2024. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  39. ↑ "Top Iranian general killed by Israeli airstrike: sources". Axios. 1 April 2024. Archived from the original on 5 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  40. ↑ "Entire IRGC command wing in Syria was eliminated in strike, Bloomberg reveals". The Jerusalem Post. 20 April 2024. Archived from the original on 20 April 2024. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  41. 1 2 Beaumont, Peter; Graham-Harrison, Emma (14 April 2024). "Why Israel's Attack on Iranian Consulate in Syria Was a Gamechanger". The Guardian . London. Archived from the original on 15 April 2024. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  42. ↑ Article 22 of the Convention on Diplomatic Relations states:'“The premises of the mission shall be inviolable. The agents of the receiving State may not enter them, except with the consent of the head of the mission. The receiving State is under a special duty to take all appropriate steps to protect the premises of the mission against any intrusion or damage and to prevent any disturbance of the peace of the mission or impairment of its dignity.”Those protections remain in force even if the embassy is used for criminal or military purposes. The receiving state can break off diplomatic relations, or revoke the diplomatic immunity of specific individuals and eject them from the country, but it must still “respect and protect” the embassy buildings and their contents even after the mission has closed. Israel bombed an Iranian Embassy complex. Is that allowed? Archived 2 April 2024 at the Wayback Machine New York Times2 April 2024
  43. ↑ "Why are embassies supposed to be inviolable?". The Economist. Archived from the original on 15 April 2024. Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  44. 1 2 3 Taub, Amanda (2 April 2024). "Israel bombed an Iranian Embassy complex. Is that allowed?" . The New York Times. Partially reported by Farnaz Fassihi. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  45. ↑ 'The experts warned that Israeli military personnel and civilian officials responsible for the attack may also have committed crimes under an international counter-terrorism treaty of 1971, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Internationally Protected Persons. “It is an offence to violently attack the official premises or private accommodation of a diplomat where it is likely to endanger them. Iran, Israel and Syria are all parties to the treaty and all have criminal jurisdiction over such offences,” they recalled.'
  46. ↑ Israel and Iran must de-escalate conflict to protect human rights, warn UN experts Archived 16 April 2024 at the Wayback Machine United Nations 16 April 2024
  47. 1 2 3 4 "Briefing Security Council on Reported Israeli Attacks against Iran's Diplomatic Premises in Syria, Top UN Official Urges Efforts to Prevent Further Escalation | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". press.un.org. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  48. ↑ "Iraqi PM, Iranian president discuss Israeli attack on Iranian consulate in Syria". Xinhua News Agency. 4 April 2024. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  49. ↑ Meijer, Bart (3 April 2024). "EU condemns attack on Iran's embassy in Damascus, urges restraint". Reuters . Archived from the original on 6 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  50. ↑ "Nicaragua condena ataque israelí en el Consulado de Irán en Damasco". JP+ (in Spanish). 3 April 2024. Archived from the original on 14 April 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  51. ↑ https://www.iranintl.com/en/202404028719 Archived 6 April 2024 at the Wayback Machine "UN Chief, Taliban Condemn Attack On Iran's 'Diplomatic Premise"]. Iran International .
  52. ↑ "Algeria vehemently condemns air attack on Iran's consulate in Damascus". Permanent Mission of Algeria to the UN – New York. Archived from the original on 16 April 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  53. ↑ "Armenia is deeply concerned by the recent attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus: Foreign Ministry of Armenia". 1Lurer. 2 April 2024. Archived from the original on 16 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  54. ↑ "Press Release N. 142. Attack at Iranian consulate in Damascus". gov.br. Ministério das Relações Exteriores. 3 April 2024. Archived from the original on 16 April 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  55. ↑ "Belarus' MFA comments on attack on Iranian consulate in Syria". eng.belta.by. 2 April 2024. Archived from the original on 10 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  56. ↑ "China denounces Israeli strike on Iranian consulate in Syria". Al Arabiya News . 2 April 2024. Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  57. ↑ "Cuba condena de manera "enérgica" el ataque al consulado iraní en Siria". Infobae (in Spanish). 1 April 2024. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  58. ↑ "Egypt condemns targeting Iranian consulate in Damascus". Egypt State Information Service. 2 April 2024. Archived from the original on 16 April 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  59. 1 2 "Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia condemn Israeli attack on Iranian consulate". Archived from the original on 10 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  60. ↑ "Italy appeals to Iran "restraint" over response to Israel's consulate attack-Xinhua". english.news.cn. Archived from the original on 15 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  61. ↑ Kemelova, Fatima (3 April 2024). "Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Regarding the Attack on the Consular Section of Iranian Embassy in Syria". The Astana Times. Archived from the original on 15 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  62. ↑ "Kuwait deplores Israeli occupation's attack on Iranian consulate in Syria". Kuwait News Agency . 2 April 2024. Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  63. ↑ "Lebanon denounces Israeli attack on Iranian consulate in Syria". Al Jazeera. 2 April 2024. Archived from the original on 9 April 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  64. ↑ al-Harathy, Safa (3 April 2024). "Libya condemns attack on Iranian consulate in Damascus". The Libya Observer. Archived from the original on 15 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  65. ↑ "Statement by the Government of Maldives to condemn the attack on the Iranian Consulate in Damascus, Syria". foreign.gov.mv. Archived from the original on 15 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  66. ↑ "Mauritania Condemns Israeli Warplanes Targeting of Iranian Consulate in Damascus". Agence mauritanienne d'information. 4 April 2024. Archived from the original on 15 April 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  67. ↑ "EU, Norway condemn Israel attack on Iran consulate". Mehr News Agency. 5 April 2024. Archived from the original on 6 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  68. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 15 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  69. ↑ "Oman condemns attack on Iran consulate in Damascus". Kuwait News Agency . 1 April 2024. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  70. ↑ "Pakistan condemns Israeli airstrikes on Iranian consulate building in Syria-Xinhua". Xinhua News Agency . Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  71. ↑ "Qatar Strongly Condemns the Targeting of Iranian Consulate in Damascus". Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Qatar) . 1 April 2024. Archived from the original on 9 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  72. ↑ "Russia accuses Israel of 'unacceptable' strike on Iranian embassy in Damascus". Times of Israel . Agence France-Presse. 1 April 2024. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  73. ↑ "Russian foreign minister calls Israeli strike on Iranian diplomatic mission in Damascus 'political killing'". Middle East Monitor. 13 April 2024. Archived from the original on 13 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  74. ↑ "Saudi Arabia condemns targeting of Iranian consulate in Syria". Arab News . 2 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  75. ↑ "South Africa condemns attack on Embassy of Iran in Syria". gov.za. South African Government. 3 April 2024. Archived from the original on 14 April 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  76. ↑ "Foreign Ministry of Tajikistan condemns Israel's airstrike on Iranian consular mission in Syria". AKIpress News Agency . Archived from the original on 15 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  77. ↑ "Tunisia condemns the Zionist entity's attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus". Syrian Times. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  78. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  79. ↑ "Türkiye condemns Israeli attack on Iranian diplomatic mission in Damascus". TRT World. 2 April 2024. Archived from the original on 14 April 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  80. ↑ "UAE Condemns Targeting of Iranian Diplomatic Mission". Ministry of Foreign Affairs (United Arab Emirates) . 1 April 2024. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  81. ↑ uz, Kun. "Uzbekistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemns air strike on Iran's consulate building". Kun.uz. Archived from the original on 4 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  82. ↑ "El Gobierno de Venezuela condena el ataque al consulado de Irán en Siria" (in Spanish). Swissinfo. 2 April 2024. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  83. ↑ Toàn, Vũ (6 April 2024). "Vietnam condemns attack on Iranian embassy in Syria". VietnamPlus. Hanoi: Vietnam News Agency. Archived from the original on 8 April 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024. Vietnam condemns the attack on the Iranian embassy in Syria. All the buildings of diplomatic representative and consular offices must be respected and protected according to international law.
  84. ↑ "Foreign Ministry of Kyrgyzstan expresses concerns over missile attack on consular agency of Iran in Syria". akipress.com. Archived from the original on 15 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  85. ↑ "Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". press.un.org. Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  86. ↑ "Russia calls for UNSC session after Israel strikes Iran's diplomatic mission in Syria". Middle East Monitor . 2 April 2024. Archived from the original on 11 April 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  87. ↑ "Moskau: Iran beruft sich auf Recht zur Selbstverteidigung". boerse.de (in German). Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  88. ↑ "UN Security Council Fails To Condemn Strike On Iran Embassy". Iran International. 15 April 2024. Archived from the original on 10 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  89. ↑ "World reacts to Iran's attack against Israel, Iran accuses some of 'double standards'". L'Orient Today. AFP. 14 April 2024. Archived from the original on 16 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  90. ↑ Ravid, Barak (2 April 2024). "U.S. tells Iran it "had no involvement" in Israel strike". Axios. Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  91. 1 2 Landay, Jonathan; Ali, Idrees (2 April 2024). "No US involvement in strike on Iran's Damascus mission, White House says" . Reuters. Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  92. ↑ "League condemns Israeli attack on Iranian Consulate in Damascus, viewing it a violation of Syria's sovereignty". Arab League. Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  93. ↑ Jamal, Urooba; Quillen, Stephen. "Israel's aid-worker killings draw global calls for 'full accountability'". Al Jazeera . Archived from the original on 9 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  94. ↑ "Iran: Statement by the Spokesperson on the attack in Damascus". European External Action Service. Archived from the original on 3 April 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
  95. ↑ Meijer, Bart (3 April 2024). "EU condemns attack on Iran's embassy in Damascus, urges restraint" . Reuters. Archived from the original on 6 April 2024. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  96. ↑ "Saudi Arabia condemns targeting of Iranian consulate in Syria". Arab News . 2 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  97. ↑ "Reactions pour in after Israel's deadly attack on Iran consulate in Syria". nournews. Archived from the original on 9 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  98. ↑ "Statement by the SCO Secretary-General in connection with the airstrike against the Iranian Consulate in Damascus". The Shanghai cooperation organisation. 5 April 2024. Archived from the original on 16 April 2024. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  99. ↑ "Iran vows revenge as it accuses Israel of deadly airstrike on Syria consulate in deepening Middle East crisis". CNN. 2 April 2024. Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  100. ↑ Fahim, Kareem; George, Susannah; Harris, Shane; Haidamous, Suzan (4 April 2024). "Israel braces for Tehran's response after deadly Damascus strike" . The Washington Post . Archived from the original on 5 April 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  101. ↑ Ravid, Barak (4 April 2024). "Israel warns of consequences to any attack from Iran". Axios. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  102. ↑ Hider, James; Arraf, Jane (1 April 2024). "Iranian officials accuse Israel of a deadly attack on Iran's consulate in Syria". NPR. Archived from the original on 5 April 2024. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  103. ↑ Engel Rasmussen, Sune; Peled, Anat. "Israel Scrambles GPS Signals as Country Girds for Potential Retaliation From Iran" . The Wall Street Journal . Archived from the original on 5 April 2024. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  104. ↑ Lee, MJ; Hansler, Jennifer (5 April 2024). "US preparing for significant Iran attack on US or Israeli assets in the region as soon as next week". CNN . Archived from the original on 6 April 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  105. ↑ "Iran vows deadly suspected Israeli airstrike on its consulate in Damascus "will not go unanswered"". CBS News . 2 April 2024. Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  106. ↑ Fassihi, Farnaz (2 April 2024). "Iran Says the Deadly Israeli Strike in Damascus Will Not Go Unanswered" . The New York Times . Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  107. ↑ Hafezi, Parisa (2 April 2024). "Iran vows revenge on Israel after Damascus embassy attack". Reuters . Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  108. ↑ "UN Security Council to review Iran's demand to condemn Israeli strike". TASS. Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2024.
  109. ↑ "Iran says Israel bombs its embassy in Syria, kills commanders". Reuters . 2 April 2024. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  110. ↑ Khraiche, Dana; Sykes, Patrick (5 April 2024). "Iran Tells US to Step Aside as It Readies Response to Israel". Bloomberg . Archived from the original on 5 April 2024. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  111. ↑ "The night Iran's missile spectacle rattled Israel". Financial Times. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  112. ↑ "'True Promise': Why and how did Iran launch a historic attack on Israel?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  113. ↑ "israel-says-attack-failed-iran-claims-success". Archived from the original on 14 April 2024. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  114. ↑ "Israel says Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles, 99% of which were intercepted". AP News. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  115. ↑ "US military destroyed 80 drones, 6 missiles launched from Iran, Yemen, US Centcom says". Reuters. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  116. ↑ "Iranian forces take over Israel-linked Portuguese ship MCS ARIES". The Jerusalem Post. 13 April 2024. Archived from the original on 13 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
  117. ↑ "Iran says MSC Aries vessel seized for 'violating maritime laws'". Reuters. 15 April 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  118. ↑ "Industry appeals to UN over MSC Aries seizure". SeatradeMarine News. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.