IRGC Members Assassinated in Syria

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President Ebrahim Raisi has said that the terrorist and criminal attack on the Iranian embassy in Syria is a sign of Israel's profound desperation and helplessness.

(Nour News 3rd April 2024)

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IRGC Members Assassinated in Syria??????????

On the 1st April 2024 a strike against the Islamic Republic of Iran’s consulate in Damascus, Syria killed seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The most influential IRGC military commander to die in the strike was General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps Quds Force. Zahedi was most recently believed to be serving as chief of the IRGC’s elite Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon — a role that would have made him a top coordinator between Tehran and Hezbollah.

Mohammad Reza Zahedi was a contemporary and close friend of Major General Qassem Soleimani, the 62-year-old commander of the Quds Force, who was killed by a US drone strike in Baghdad, Iraq, on the 3rd January 2020. It was Soleimani who appointed Zahedi commander of the Quds Force Lebanon Corps in 1998, a position he held until 2002, and to which he was reappointed in 2008. He was responsible for organizing support for the regime of President Bashar Assad during the Syrian civil war, and overseeing shipments of Iranian weapons to Hezbollah via Syria.

Zahedi was the third senior IRGC leader killed since the outbreak of the war in Gaza. His death is the most significant loss suffered by the Quds Force since the assassination of Soleimani four years ago and, before that, the death of Hossein Hamedani in October 2015. Described in a United States Treasury statement on the 3rd August 2010, as “the commander of the IRGC-QF in Lebanon,” Zahedi was accused of playing “a key role in Iran’s support to Hezbollah.” He “also acted as a liaison to Hezbollah and Syrian intelligence services and is reportedly charged with guaranteeing weapons shipments to Hezbollah.”

Yahya Rahim Safavi, former commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and Khamenei's chief military adviser, disclosed that Mohammadreza Zahedi was among four key figures he introduced to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The others mentioned by Safavi were prominent figures Qasem Soleimani, Ahmad Kazemi, and Mohammad Hajazi, all of whom have now died, two of them assassinated.

General Mohammad Reza Zahedi as a member of Hezbollah’s Shura Council, the powerful Lebanese group’s decision-making body, a source close to the movement said. Zahedi was the only non-Lebanese on Hezbollah’s eight-member Shura Council, the equivalent of the powerful Shia Muslim movement’s political bureau, led by secretary general Hassan Nasrallah. Nasrallah in a previous speech, said his group “owed a lot” to the senior Iranian official. He continued, “lived with us for long years, away from the spotlight, and provided important services to the resistance (Iranian-backed proxy) in Lebanon and the whole region.”

The Hezbollah Shura Council is a critical decision-making body within the Hezbollah organization. The Deciding Shura Council serves as Hezbollah’s Supreme Council. It is headed by the organization’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah. This council holds supreme authority and plays a central role in shaping Hezbollah’s policies and actions.

The Shura Council is responsible for all Hezbollah activities. It oversees both military and civilian aspects. Under its purview, there are five designated councils, each handling specific functions within the organization.

The Supreme Leader of Iran has a significant influence on the Shura Council. In case of a deadlock, the Supreme Leader casts the deciding vote. In summary, the Hezbollah Shura Council is the nucleus of decision-making, guiding Hezbollah’s actions, strategies, and overall direction.

A report in the Arab News stated; “It remains to be established beyond doubt whether or not Iran or its Quds Force was involved in the 7th October 2023 attacks on Israel led by Hamas last year. IRGC officials “may have directly authorized Hamas’s assault and assisted in planning it, though Hamas and the IRGC have insisted that the Palestinian group acted independently,” the Council on Foreign Relations said.

General Hossein Aminallah, Chief of Staff of the IRGC Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon, and Brigadier General Haj Rahimi, a close friend and deputy of Zahedi, were also assassinated.

Five other Iranian advisers and officers were also neutralised , they were: Hossein Amanollahi, Mahdi Jalalati, Mohsen Sedaqat, Ali Aqababaee, and Ali Salehi Ruzbehani

Holly Dagres is a non-resident senior fellow at the Washington-based think tank, the Atlantic Council. She is also the editor of the Council’s Iran Source and MENA Source blogs and curator for the weekly newsletter, The Iranist. ?On her weekly newsletter, she described the attack as; “According to the Iranian ambassador to Syria, Hossein Akbari, the building was hit by six missiles launched by F-35 jets . Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack but has launched hundreds of airstrikes in Syria in recent years.

She continues; What’s the deal with the building regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran’s consulate in Damascus? The building is next door to the Iranian embassy and has been described as a “consulate” on the embassy grounds in Damascus. The Iranian ambassador said that the strikes “targeted my place of residence and the consular section of the embassy, along with Iran’s military attaches .” The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, claimed that the target was “a military building of Quds forces disguised as a civilian building in Damascus .” However, Syrian media reported that the Iranian diplomatic mission in Syria didn’t own the four-story building and that only the basement and two of the four stories were owned or rented by Tehran. The other two stories were said to be owned by Syrian families; one of the families reportedly lost two family members. Human shields.

Did Israel violate international law? According to a report by the New York Times :

“Diplomatic buildings are entitled to broad 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… Those protections remain in force even if the embassy is used for criminal or military purposes… But while those rules of diplomatic relations are a bedrock principle of international law, they actually have little force in the case of the Damascus bombing, experts say, because they only refer to the responsibilities of the ‘receiving State’—in this case, Syria—and say nothing about attacks by a third state on foreign territory… An embassy can lose those protections, however, if it is used for a military purpose, as is true of schools, homes, and other civilian buildings during wartime.”

Nevertheless, on the 2nd April 2024 the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the strike and reaffirmed “the principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises,” adding that all diplomatic personnel “must be respected in all cases in accordance with international law.” The UN have still yet to condemn Hamas, who they see as a political party and not a terrorist group, for their brutal and savage attack on Israel on the 7th October 2024, six months ago.

The Islamic Republics Response was to be Expected Through Their Own Propaganda Networks

Tehran Times , 1st April 2024: Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said the “barbaric” attack on the Iranian consulate openly violates international regulations, especially the 1961 Vienna Convention. Kanaani also said it is essential that this Israeli act be condemned in the strongest terms by the international community, especially the United Nations, and necessary measures taken in regard to the aggression. The ministry official went on to say that different “aspects of this horrible attack are under investigation and the aggressive Zionist regime is responsible for all consequences.”

Tasnim News , 2nd April 2024: Global Condemnation Follows Israel’s Deadly Strike on Iran Consulate in Syria. Many regional resistance groups and governments around the world have sharply condemned the Israeli regime's deadly attack on the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus, calling it a formula for more violence. (Global?)

Let’s look at who ‘globally’ spoke about and who condemned the attack

·???????? Gaza Strip-based Palestinian resistance movement Hamas condemned it "in the strongest terms." It described the attack as "a flagrant violation of international law, an encroachment on Syrian and Iranian sovereignty, and a dangerous Zionist escalation."

·???????? Hezbollah resistance movement stated that Martyr Zahedi's "pure blood will result in more determination to resist and confront the arrogant Israeli enemy." It stated that the Israeli government would be "foolish" to believe that such assassinations could "stop the roaring tide of people's resistance." “This crime will certainly not go without the enemy receiving punishment and revenge.”

·???????? The Islamic Jihad, Hamas’ fellow Gaza-based resistance group, called the attack “treacherous.” “This cowardly Zionist attack is an attempt by the enemy to expand aggression and escape failure in Gaza,” it said, referring to the Israeli regime’s ongoing war on the Gaza Strip.

·???????? The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), the second-largest component of the Palestine Liberation Organization umbrella group, called the attack "a significant escalation and organized state terrorism." "The Zionist entity is intent on dragging the region into significant escalation," it said, but warned that doing so would "plunge its citizens into a bloodbath and disasters they cannot bear."

·???????? Fatah al-Intifada, another Palestinian resistance movement, said the Israeli aggression would fail to undermine Tehran's role and the role of the Axis of Resistance, “which will continue to support the Palestinian people and their resistance in occupied Palestine until Palestine is liberated from the filth of the Zionist enemy.”

·???????? Iraq's Kata'ib Hezbollah anti-terror group extended its condolences to Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, referring to the attack as “criminal Zionist-American aggression.”

·???????? In Yemen, Ali al-Qahoum, a member of the popular resistance movement Ansarullah's (Houthi’s) Political Bureau, said the invasion demonstrated the Zionist entity's persistence in committing crimes and breaching Syrian sovereignty.

·???????? Arab News , 2nd April 2024: Saudi Arabia has condemned the targeting of the Iranian consulate building in the Syrian capital Damascus, a foreign ministry statement said. The foreign ministry expressed “the Kingdom’s categorical rejection of targeting diplomatic facilities for any justification, and under any pretext.” The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "We condemn the targeting of the Iranian consulate building in Damascus and denounce the targeting of diplomatic facilities for any cause."

·???????? Several countries, including Pakistan, Oman, Iraq, and Russia, condemned the Israeli aggression, with Moscow describing it as "unacceptable."

Quite a respectable group of ‘global’ organisations of which non have condemned the Iranian-backed 7th October 2023 Hamas and PIJ attack on Israel that killed 1200 people. Murdered numerous women and children and raped an abundant amount of females and males; took against their will a number of shocked hostages of which some have been raped and died whilst held against their will in captivity.

Tasnim News , 2nd April 2024: The Iranian foreign minister said the country has sent an “important message” to the US government and held it accountable as the sponsor of the Zionist regime, which has conducted a fatal strike on the consular section of Iran’s embassy in Syria. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said an official of the embassy of Switzerland, which represents the interests of the US in Iran, was summoned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at 12:45 am local time following the Israeli regime’s terrorist attack on the consular section of Iran’s embassy in Damascus that has resulted in the martyrdom of several official military advisers of Iran. “An important message has been sent to the US government as the sponsor of the Zionist regime. The US must be answerable,” the Iranian minister stated.

US ambassador Robert Wood reiterated that Washington has communicated to Iran that it “had no involvement” in the strike on the consulate, nor did it have any knowledge of it ahead of time. “We cannot confirm any information about this event,” he said, adding that “as we gather details, one thing is clear: Iran and its proxy and partner groups need to avoid escalating tensions in the region.” “Terrorists and other armed groups, some backed by the Syrian regime and Iran, have used Syrian territory to plot and launch attacks on Israel and US facilities and personnel,” he added.

Iran's Foreign Minister , Hossein Amir Abdollahian, mentioned that Tehran sent a significant message to the U.S. government, without revealing its contents. The message included a warning from Iran to the U.S., stating that the U.S. does not have the right to interfere when Iran retaliates against the Israeli strike. Iranian Mashregh news website also claimed that the U.S. was asked to exercise restraint and caution in picking sides in the ongoing developments.

“In a written message, the Islamic Republic of Iran warns US leadership not to get dragged in Netanyahu’s trap for US: Stay away so you won’t get hurt,” said Mohammad Jamshidi, the deputy chief of staff for political affairs to Iran’s president. A White House National Security Council official told Al-Arabiya English that this was inaccurate, calling it “simply wrong – it’s Iranian spin.”

Tasnim New : 2nd April 2024: President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi pledged that the Zionist regime’s crime of conducting Monday’s fatal strike on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in Damascus will not go unanswered. In a statement released on Tuesday morning, Raisi said the usurping Zionist regime has brazenly violated international law by committing the terrorist crime of attacking the diplomatic building of Iran in Damascus.

Condemning the “inhumane assault in brazen violation of the international regulations”, the president said the Israeli regime has resorted to blind assassination attacks in an attempt at survival after successive defeats and failures in the face of the resistance front.

The Zionist regime must bear in mind that it won’t be able to achieve its sinister objectives with such inhumane measures and will have to face the growing strength of the resistance front and also the free nations’ hatred and aversion to its illegitimate nature, President Raisi added. “This unfair crime won’t go unanswered,” the Iranian president warned Israel.

MEHR News Agency , 2nd April 2024: Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that the country will give a severe response to the Israeli aggression against its consulate in Damascus. Ghalibaf made the remarks on Tuesday morning (2nd April 2024), referring to the Israeli regime's Monday missile attack that targeted the building of Iran's consulate in the Syrian capital of Damascus and led to the martyrdom of 7 IRGC military advisors.

Saying that the fresh Israeli aggression once again revealed the barbaric nature of this regime, Ghalibaf extended condolences to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Resistance officials, and the families of the martyred IRGC advisors.

The Zionists' aggressive and abusive actions will be met with a severe punishment, he stressed.

MEHR News Agency : 2nd April 2024: Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that the country will give a severe response to the Israeli aggression against its consulate in Damascus.

Saying that the fresh Israeli aggression once again revealed the barbaric nature of this regime, Ghalibaf extended condolences to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Resistance officials, and the families of the martyred IRGC advisors.

MEHR News Agency , 2nd Apri2024: Issuing a message, the Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance e on the Iranian consulate and condoled the martyrdom of seven Iranian advisers.

Undoubtedly, the destruction of global Zionism is the punishment for assassination of Brig Gen Mohammad Reza Zahedi and his comrades, Mohammad Mahdi Esmaeili, Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance wrote.

"Our relentless struggle continues until its realization," Esmaeili said.

"As in the past, we will not hesitate to take any cultural and media initiative to explain the unprecedented barbarities of Zionism," he said.

Today, more than ever, it is clear to the aware people of Iran how global Zionism is determined to kill the free people and the defenceless barefoot people of the world, he said.

Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) , 2nd April 2024: Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) convened on Monday night and made “appropriate decisions” on how to respond to the Israeli regime’s deadly airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi presided over the meeting in Tehran, where members of the SNSC discussed the Israeli aggression, which led to the martyrdom of seven Iranian military advisors.

“Due to another war crime by the Zionist regime against places and people with diplomatic immunity and the martyrdom of Major General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, the Supreme National Security Council held a meeting in the presence of the president as the head of this council last night at 21:00 and appropriate decisions were made,” the SNSC said in a statement on Tuesday (2nd April 2024).

Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) , 2nd April 2024: Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has vowed such a decisive response to the Israeli regime’s strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria that the “much-loathed” regime will regret its action.

“The evil regime will be punished by the hands of our brave warriors. We will make them regret this crime and the like by God’s grace.”

The wording is of great importance within all these texts. Iran believes that it can conduct revolutionary idea and deeds and remain unpunished. However, if there is retaliation for their deeds then Iran believes that it will use any and all means necessary even if that means double standards. For example, while they use the United Nations to in an attempt to bring allegations of war crimes and genocide, they fail to mention what their sub-contractors, proxies and resistance groups conduct those acts themselves.

The blame is always elsewhere and never at Iran’s feet. Iran summons the Swiss consulate who oversee and act on American affairs in the country as the United States does not have an embassy there, to complain about the actions of Americans ally, Israel. If the same accusations were made against Iran, they would not accept the findings and call them ‘baseless.’

Interestingly, and not surprisingly, all these remarks are one-sided rhetoric. There is no mention of the continuous asymmetrical war conducted by Iran against the State of Israel, the United States and other western powers that they wage in order to spread their theocratic revolutionary ideology. The Islamic Republic of Iran believes it has a divine right to attack and kill whoever they and their proxies are ‘advised’ to without any form of retaliation or retribution.

Deaths of Members of the Islamic Republican Guards Corps (IRGC) Since the 7th October 2023

Since the conflict began on the 7th October 2023 the Islamic Republic of Iran has lost a number of the Islamic Republic Guards Corps (IRGC) commanders and ‘advisors’ to Israel strikes. These have been significant losses in Syria.

2nd December 2023 Israel killed two IRGC military advisors in Syria. The IRGC members were Brigadier Generals Mohammad Ali Ataee Shoorcheh and Panah Taqizadeh . The two were targeted after entering a Hezbollah site. The two died of their injuries and five other fighters were wounded.

20th January, 2024 an alleged Israeli strike in Damascus resulted in the deaths of several IRGC officers. General Sadegh Omidzadeh , the intelligence deputy of the IRGC's expeditionary Quds Force in Syria. Omidzadeh’s deputy, known by the nom de guerre Hajj Gholam , Hojjatollah Omidvar , Ali Aghazadeh , Hossein Mohammadi , Saeed Karimi , and Mohammad Amin Samadi .

21st January 2024 an Israeli strike targeting an IRGC commander in Syria resulted in the loss of five IRGC members. The IRGC attributed this strike to Israel, its regional arch-foe. The British-based monitor , which has a vast network of sources inside Syria, said the deaths include “five Iranians, including three IRGC leaders, four Syrians working with the Iranians, one Syrian civilian, two Lebanese, and one Iraqi national”. Iranian news agency Mehr, quoting an anonymous informed source, said “the Revolutionary Guards’ Syria intel chief” and his deputy were among those “martyred in the attack on Syria by Israel.”

In a statement by the IRGC Public Relations Department, said the “savage and criminal Zionist regime” once again carried out an act of aggression against Iranian targets and Syrian sovereignty through its strike on Damascus. The Islamic Republic of Iran condemned the strike as a “desperate attempt to spread instability in region”, state media reported.

The Role of the Islamic Republican Guards Corps (IRGC) in Syria

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) plays a significant role in Syria, particularly since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war.

The IRGC provides military assistance to the Syrian government. This includes training, equipment, and strategic advice. They have been instrumental in supporting the Syrian Armed Forces in their fight against various armed opposition groups.

The IRGC’s elite unit, the Quds Force, is actively engaged in Syria. Led by Major General Qasem Soleimani (until his assassination in 2020), the Quds Force focuses on extraterritorial operations. Their primary objective is to strengthen Iran’s influence in the region by supporting allies such as Syria and Hezbollah.

Syria serves as a crucial geopolitical ally for Iran. A stable Syria allows Iran to maintain a land corridor connecting it to Lebanon (via Iraq and Syria). This corridor facilitates the transfer of weapons, fighters, and resources to Hezbollah and others in the Levant, which is a vital proxy for Iran in the region.

The IRGC is involved in counterterrorism operations against groups like the Islamic State (IS) and other extremist factions. They collaborate with Syrian forces to prevent the expansion of jihadist groups within Syria.

Iran’s presence in Syria is part of its broader regional power projection. It aims to counterbalance other regional actors, including Israel and Saudi Arabia. The IRGC’s involvement in Syria reflects Iran’s determination to protect its interests and maintain a foothold in the Levant.

The IRGC’s presence in Syria has led to heightened tensions with Israel. Israel views Iran’s activities in Syria as a direct threat. Israel is constantly conducting airstrikes in Syria targeting IRGC commanders, weapons shipments, and infrastructure in Syria. These strikes aim to disrupt Iran’s efforts to establish a permanent foothold near Israel’s borders.

Syria has become a battleground for proxy conflicts between Iran and Israel. The IRGC’s actions in Syria are part of this broader struggle. Israel perceives the IRGC’s presence as a security challenge and responds accordingly.

United Nations Security Meeting

Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) , 2nd April 2024: Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA): The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is set to hold an emergency meeting following a deadly Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital of Damascus, a Russian diplomat says.

Tehran-ISNA- Russia's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Dmitry Polyansky said the session will take place at 03:00 p.m. New York time (1900 GMT) on Tuesday. "After Israel's airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus …, Iranians have turned to the UN Security Council to condemn this action. Following their letter we have requested an open briefing of the UN Security Council,” he said in a social media post.

In a letter sent to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and UNSC President Vanessa Frazier, Iran’s mission to the United Nations called on the world body to denounce the Israeli regime’s "heinous and abhorrent terrorist attack” that killed seven military advisors of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

The strike was a “flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter, international law, and the foundational principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises,” read the letter authored by Iran's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Zahra Ershadi.

It carried "far-reaching international implications" that can exacerbate regional tensions.

Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) , 2nd April 2024: The United Nations Security Council will convene later on Tuesday to discuss the Israeli regime’s act of aggression against Iran’s consulate in Syria, according to Russia’s First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN.

“After Israel’s airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus today, Iranians have turned to the UN Security Council to condemn this action,” Dmitry Polyanskiy wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday night.

“Following their letter we have requested an open briefing of the UN Security Council. The Maltese presidency has scheduled it for 3:00 PM New York time on April 2nd,” he added.

Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) , 2nd April 2024: Iran demands urgent UNSC meeting on Israeli attack on consulate

The full text of the letter comes as follows:

Upon instructions of my Government, I am writing to you regarding the flagrant violation of fundamental norms and principles of international law by the Israeli regime wherein the Israeli occupying regime perpetrated a heinous and abhorrent terrorist attack on the diplomatic premises of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Syrian Arab Republic. At 4:45 p.m. on 1st April 2024, the Islamic Republic of Iran's diplomatic premises in Damascus were intentionally targeted by missile airstrikes launched by the Israeli regime from the occupied Golan Heights, resulting in the martyrdom and tragic loss of at least five Iranian personnel, including senior military advisors, and the complete destruction of Iran's diplomatic premises in question.

These horrific crimes and cowardly terrorist attacks are a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter, international law,? and the foundational principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises, as outlined in the 1961 Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Internationally Protected Persons including Diplomatic Agents of 1973 and pose a significant threat to regional peace and security.

Considering the far-reaching international implications of such a reprehensible act which can exacerbate tensions in the region and potentially ignite more conflict involving other nations, the Islamic Republic of Iran urges the Security Council to condemn this unjustified criminal act and terrorist attack perpetrated by the Israel regime in the strongest terms possible. Furthermore, Iran calls upon the Security Council to take all necessary measures including through an urgent meeting to address this egregious violation, to prevent future acts of aggression that jeopardize the security and safety of diplomatic missions, and to ensure that those responsible for such criminal acts are swiftly brought to justice.

The aggressor Zionist regime bears full responsibility for its consequences and the Islamic Republic of Iran reserves its legitimate and inherent right under international law and the United Nations Charter to take a decisive response to such reprehensible acts.

I should be grateful if you would circulate the present letter as a document of the Security Council.

What is the Role off a Military Advisor?

Definition of “Advisors”

Chambers English Dictionary, page 19, Advise: to view, to take thought of, consider; to counsel: to recommend: to inform: to consult (with). Advisor, one who advises.

In the letter from Iran to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Iran makes reference to “senior military advisors” who were assassinated in the raid on the 1st April 2024. In the past the Israeli Economy Minister Nir Barkat threatened that if the Iran-backed Lebanon-based Hezbollah terror group opens a second front against Israel in the north, Israel will target Iranian leaders and “wipe them off the face of the earth.”

Hezbollah has constantly launched missiles into Israel more intensely than normal since the Hamas invasion of Israel on the 7th October 2023.

A military advisor serves as a crucial link between strategic decision-makers and the troops on the ground. Their role encompasses several key responsibilities.

Military advisors provide expert advice to senior commanders and policymakers. They analyse complex situations, assess risks, and recommend courses of action. Their insights help shape military strategy, operational planning, and overall policy.

Advisors work closely with foreign military forces or allied units. They assist in training, mentoring, and strengthening capabilities. This includes imparting knowledge on tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs), as well as enhancing combat readiness.

Military advisors bridge cultural gaps. They learn about local customs, traditions, and social dynamics. Understanding the cultural context is essential for effective communication and cooperation with host-nation forces.

Advisors assess risks associated with military operations. They consider factors such as terrain, weather, and enemy capabilities. Their insights help commanders make informed decisions while minimizing risks to personnel and mission success.

Advisors facilitate communication between different military units, government agencies, and international partners. They foster collaboration, resolve issues, and ensure smooth coordination during joint operations.

In complex environments, advisors mediate disputes and promote stability. They help prevent escalation and maintain peace. Their diplomatic skills are crucial for managing tensions and building trust.

Military advisors encounter dynamic challenges. They adapt to changing circumstances, improvise solutions, and think critically. Their ability to solve problems on the ground is invaluable.

Hezbollah Escalation

Secretary General Nasrallah knows well that there was no appetite for war among a majority of the Lebanese population. In 2004, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1559, which called for the disarmament of non-state militias in Lebanon. This resolution specifically targeted Hezbollah, as it was the most prominent armed group in the country. Hezbollah’s rhetoric remains confrontational, their actions are often calibrated to prevent full-scale conflict. Not only does Lebanon want an all-out conflict but Iran does not want io commit its most powerful ally in the Levant.

Hezbollah, a Shiite movement in Lebanon, has evolved from a shadowy militia in the early 1980s to become a political powerbroker and the world’s most heavily armed non-state actor by four decades later.

After the end of Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war, Hezbollah was the only Lebanese faction allowed to retain its weapons . This exception was granted to enable Hezbollah to fight against Israel’s occupation of South Lebanon. Israeli forces withdrew from South Lebanon in 2000, but Hezbollah continued to maintain its armed wing.

Hezbollah has consistently rejected any calls for disarmament. Hezbollah justifies its weapons as necessary for resisting Israeli aggression and defending Lebanon. They argue that their arms contribute to Lebanon’s national defence, especially given the ongoing tensions with Israel. Hezbollah’s military strength also translates into significant political influence within Lebanon.

In 2022, Saudi Arabia and its allies suspended diplomatic ties with Lebanon after the then Information Minister, George Kordahi, criticized the Riyadh-led military intervention in Yemen. Kordahi was an ally of Hezbollah. The situation highlighted the issue of Hezbollah’s weapons and strained relations between Lebanon and Gulf Arab states.

Lebanon’s Foreign Minister, Abdallah Bou Habib, asserted that Lebanon would not “hand over” Hezbollah’s weapons. He emphasized that Hezbollah’s existence was non-negotiable in Lebanon. However, Lebanon also assured Gulf countries that it would not allow its territory to be used as a launchpad for activities that violate the interests of Arab nations.

The UN resolution called for no armed presence south of the Litani River other than those of the Lebanese Armed Forces and UN peacekeepers. It also called for Israel’s withdrawal from the northern part of Ghajar, which Lebanon claims. Syria claims the southern part.

Hezbollah’s two objectives, as stated by Nasrallah, will be to put pressure on Israel to stop the war and to assist people in Gaza by forcing Israel to divert some of its resources to the northern border.

The Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group has rebuffed Washington’s initial proposal for stopping clashes with neighbouring Israel, such as pulling its fighters further from the border.

US envoy Amos Hochstein met Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister, foreign minister, army commander and speaker of parliament in January 2024, Hezbollah had not been directly involved in talks as it has been branded a terrorist organisation.

A proposal was also communicated to Hezbollah that its fighters move seven kilometres (4 miles) from the border, two of the three Lebanese officials said. That would still leave fighters much closer than Israel’s public demand of a 30-kilometer (19-mile) withdrawal to the Litani River stipulated in a 2006 UN resolution. Hezbollah has dismissed both ideas as unrealistic, the Lebanese officials and the diplomat said. The group has long ruled out giving up weapons or withdrawing fighters, many of whom hail from the border region and melt into society when there are not hostilities.

Conclusion

Iran may not retaliate directly against Israel for the death of General Mohammad Reza Zahedi. Although the Tehran government has stated openly it deserves the right to retaliate Iran is a little limited as to where it can strike at an Israeli embassy. Firstly, it has already requested that the United Nations act against Israel which has not happened. If Iran retaliates against Israel in the same manner, then it shows that they use the UN and if they do not get the action, they demand then they are prepared to take the law into their own hands in order to achieve what they command. When it comes to the UN Iran always wants its own way and if not, they claim that the reply is politically motivated or that they are anti-Iran. Secondly although Israel has closed some of its embassies around the world in anticipation of an Iranian retaliatory strike a number of Israeli embassies have shut down after the Hamas attack on Israel on the 7th October 2024 should sympathisers attack them. Thirdly, the country that hosts an Israeli embassy may also host an Iranian embassy as well. Unlike Israel attacking Iran in Syria where both countries dislike Israel, Israel does not have an embassy in Damascus. If Iran were to attack an embassy in a country where both Israel and Iran share then it would severely harm relations between that host country should Iran choose to attack Israel’s embassy there. Not only are Iran’s choices limited but they are possibly a non-starter when it comes to retaliation. If Iran attacks directly then they will suffer any fallout from that attack. It is more probable that Iran will use one or all of its proxies to conduct any retaliation and then claim deniability as usual. The choice of target and the execution of the retaliatory operation will have to be considered with great thought by the government of Tehran. The last thing Iran wants is an escalation to the conflict especially if it’s aimed at them for any sort of over-the-top revenge. But Iran needs to show face to those who follow that they carry out their actions and they are not just words. The revolution must continue but not at any cost. The accusation by the Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi who accused the action of Israel against its top figures as ‘profound desperation and helplessness’ is very wrong. The State of Israel is still very strong and willing not only to stand up against Hamas, the PIJ and Hezbollah but also against the puppet master, the Islamic Republic of Iran.

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Paul Ashley

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