Iran renews vowing to retaliate for Israeli attack in Syria
Shafaq News/ Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, strongly condemned the recent attack on Iran's consulate in Syria, vowing retaliation to inflict maximum damage on the "enemy."
Bagheri made these statements during the funeral procession of Mohammad Reza Zahedi and six other military advisors killed in an Israeli attack in Damascus.
Bagheri labeled the Israeli attack as an "act of desperation" and emphasized that "Iran would retaliate decisively."
"The enemy will be disappointed by brave Iranian men."
Furthermore, Bagheri accused Israel of seeking to dominate West Asia strategically but asserted that its efforts were failing due to resistance from various fronts, including Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Syria, and the Iranian nation.
In the same context, an Iranian military commander warned on Saturday that Israel's fear of "harsh Iranian retaliation due to the missile attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus has plunged it (Israel) into a state of fear," indicating that Israel's fear of Iranian retaliation is more concerning than death itself, according to his statement.
According to the Iranian IRNA agency, Brigadier General Ahmad Khadem Seyed al-Shohada, the commander of IRGC's regional HQ in Southwestern Iran ("Karbala" HQ), praised the "enthusiastic participation" of the Iranian people in Quds Day marches.
"According to the statements of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, the era of knocking on the door is over, and we will respond overwhelmingly to the usurping Zionist Israel, and this word has shaken the enemies' entity."
He clarified that "people around the world are now aware of the crimes of the usurping Israel, the killing of children, and this fake system has been exposed to everyone."
Khadem Seyed al-Shohada said, "The fake Zionist regime resorted to its trenches out of fear, but the terror of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard missiles is more worrisome for them than death."
The Islamic Republic has not yet disclosed details about the planned operation or timing.
Earlier this week, an American official confirmed that the United States is on "extreme alert" and preparing for a potential Iranian attack targeting Israeli or American assets in the region in response to an Israeli strike that resulted in the killing of an Iranian military commander in Syria.
President Joe Biden discussed the threat posed by Iran in a phone call on Thursday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A senior official in the Biden administration mentioned that "our teams have been in regular and continuous contact since then. The United States fully supports Israel in confronting threats from Iran."
Israeli media outlets have outlined potential scenarios in response to the assassination of Revolutionary Guard commander Mohammad Reza Zahedi, anticipating what they term "Iranian revenge."
Military correspondent Hallel Bitton Rosen from Channel 14 Israeli suggests that Tel Aviv is bracing for the prospect of direct Iranian attacks on Israeli military installations, with preparations including potential defensive measures should such assaults materialize.
Reports indicate an agreement between Israel and the United States, with the latter poised to support Israel militarily if required in the Middle East.
Haaretz newspaper, through writer Alon Pinkas, enumerated four possible scenarios for Iranian retaliation:
- Iran may opt for a calculated response, biding its time to select a symbolic and impactful target, considering the political and reputational ramifications post-Israeli strikes.
- Alternatively, a swift and proportional reaction targeting ships, embassies, or Israeli personnel abroad could unfold, potentially escalating tensions.
- A more drastic scenario involves Iran leveraging Hezbollah in Lebanon, opening a dangerous second front that could escalate into a broader conflict.
- The most extreme scenario envisions Iran venting fury not only on significant Israeli but also American targets in the Gulf.
