The IDF decided to increase combat readiness after assessing the current situation. Israeli TV Channel 12 reported that the country was on high alert due to fears of possible retaliation from Tehran. If the attack was carried out from Iranian territory, its scale could be much larger than operations carried out by Iranian-backed entities, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon or the Houthi movement in Yemen.
The Economist weekly newspaper reported Attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus As a “dangerous escalation of the long-running shadow war between Israel and Iran.” The newspaper warns that Tehran may attack Israeli or American targets in response.
According to The Economist, Israel is currently fighting on two fronts: the Palestinian semi-enclave and the international network of agents supported by Iran. Tehran has so far avoided entering into an open conflict, but an attack on its diplomatic mission could lead to a risky game on the part of Israel, which could open more battle fronts.
The attack occurred on the building that houses the consulate and the residence of the Iranian ambassador on Monday. The Revolutionary Guards, the armed formation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, announced that seven of its members were killed in the airstrike, including two commanders – the head of the Iranian elite Al-Quds unit in Syria, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories, Mohammad Reza. Zahedi, and his deputy, Muhammad Hadi Haji Rahimi.
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