The Tasnim news agency, a semi-official Iranian outlet, reported that an Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officer was killed in an alleged Israeli airstrike on Damascus shortly after midnight on Friday. The deceased officer, Milad Heydari, was said to be an adviser, though no specific rank was provided. The report referred to him as "martyred," a term generally reserved for those killed during official assignments.
In response to Heydari's death, the IRGC threatened to retaliate, as stated in the report: "The Zionist regime will undoubtedly receive a response to this crime."
Syria's state news agency, SANA, previously reported that Syria's air defenses intercepted "hostile missiles" over the capital just after midnight. However, the "aggression" still caused some material damage. Damascus frequently claims to intercept IDF strikes, but military analysts cast doubt on these assertions.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor based in Britain, reported that the strikes targeted a weapons depot for government forces and Iran-backed groups located south of Damascus. The group, which has faced credibility issues in the past, also claimed that four other IRGC officers were killed alongside Heydari.
Saudi broadcaster Al Arabiya, citing unidentified sources, reported that the strike aimed at microchips for missile guidance, rather than IRGC personnel. The report highlighted Israeli concerns about the shipment of these chips to Syria, as they could be utilized by the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist group to develop precision-guided missiles.
Israel's military typically refrains from commenting on specific strikes in Syria. However, it has admitted to conducting hundreds of missions against Iran-backed groups attempting to establish a presence in the country over the past decade. The IDF also targets arms shipments believed to be destined for those groups, with Lebanon's Hezbollah terrorist organization being the primary concern.
This week's strikes followed two recent attacks on Aleppo International Airport, which were also attributed to Israel. Due to the damage, the airport's runway was temporarily closed. Israel has also carried out daytime strikes in northwestern Syria earlier this month, injuring three soldiers and causing damage, according to SANA.
