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- It was not clear if Iran would respond itself, risking a dangerous confrontation with Israel and its ally the United States
TEHRAN, Iran: Iran and one of its key proxies vowed Tuesday to respond to a strike widely attributed to Israel that demolished Iran鈥檚 consulate in the Syrian capital of Damascus and killed seven, including two Iranian generals.
Iran鈥檚 state TV reported Tuesday that the country鈥檚 Supreme National Security Council, a key decision-making body, met late Monday and decided on a 鈥渞equired鈥� response to the strike. The report said the meeting was chaired by President Ebrahim Raisi, but provided no further details.
Israel has repeatedly targeted military officials from Iran, which supports militant groups fighting Israel in Gaza, and along its border with Lebanon. Monday鈥檚 strike in Damascus signaled an escalation because it struck an Iranian diplomatic mission.
It was not clear if Iran would respond itself, risking a dangerous confrontation with Israel and its ally the United States, or if it would continue to rely on proxies, including Lebanon鈥檚 Hezbollah militia and Yemen鈥檚 Houthi rebels.
The airstrike in Syria killed Gen. Mohammad Reza Zahedi, who led the elite Quds Force in Lebanon and Syria until 2016, according to Iran鈥檚 Revolutionary Guard. It also killed Zahedi鈥檚 deputy, Gen. Mohammad Hadi Hajjriahimi, and five other officers.
Hezbollah said Tuesday that Zahedi played a crucial role in helping 鈥渄evelop and advance the work鈥� of the group in Lebanon.
鈥淭his crime will certainly not pass without the enemy receiving punishment and revenge,鈥� Hezbollah said in a statement.
Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza nearly six months ago, those proxies have stepped up attacks, leading to near daily cross-border exchanges between Hezbollah and Israel, and frequent Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping. Hamas, which rules Gaza and attacked Israel on Oct. 7, is also backed by Iran.
Israel, which rarely acknowledges strikes against Iranian targets, said it had no comment on the latest attack in Syria, although a military spokesman blamed Iran for a drone attack early Monday against a naval base in southern Israel.
Israel has grown increasingly impatient with the daily exchanges of fire with Hezbollah, which have escalated in recent days, and warned of the possibility of a full-fledged war. Houthi rebels have also been launching long-range missiles toward Israel, including on Monday.
Iran鈥檚 official news agency IRNA said Tuesday that Iran relayed an important message to the United States late Monday and that it called for a meeting of the UN Security Council. The message to Washington was delivered through a Swiss envoy in Tehran; Switzerland looks after US interests in Iran.
IRNA said Iran holds the United States, Israel鈥檚 closest ally, responsible for the strike.
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