The commander of the Iranian Islamic Revolution Guard Corps' Quds Force in Lebanon and Syria, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, was killed in an Israeli attack that targeted the Iranian consulate in Syria in the al-Mazzeh neighborhood, Damascus, Syria, on Monday afternoon, Syrian and Iranian state media reported.

Iranian state television confirmed that the aggression targeted the Iranian consulate building and the residence of the Iranian ambassador in Damascus. It later confirmed that the Quds Force Commander in Lebanon and Syria was killed in the attack.

Footage shows the destruction as a result of the Israeli airstrike that targeted the #Iranian consulate in #Damascus, Syria. pic.twitter.com/YVPCPJ1cu8

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) April 1, 2024

In further details, the Iranian state television said that the Israeli attack targeted the residence of the Iranian ambassador to Syria. 

Later, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported from the vicinity of the Iranian consulate in Damascus that 7 were martyred and several others were wounded in a preliminary toll of the Israeli aggression, confirming that search and rescue operations are underway at the site of the Iranian consulate, which was completely destroyed.

On his part, Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Tehran revealed that a number of Iranian advisors were also reportedly killed in the Israeli aggression against the consulate.

In this context, Israeli media said the army raised the state of alert in the north fearing a response to the "dramatic assassination" in Damascus.

A Syrian military source said that the Israeli aggression on Syria led to the complete destruction of the Iranian consulate, as well as the martyrdom and injury of all those in it. 

The source explained that the aggression was conducted from the side of the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights, as the Syrian Arab Army's air defenses successfully downed some of the launched missiles. 

On Monday evening, the Syrian Foreign Minister, Faisal al-Mekdad, held a telephone call with Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, where he condemned the Israeli aggression that targeted the Iranian consulate in Damascus. The Minister later visited the site of the attack.

The recent escalation of Israeli attacks on Syrian territory coincides with attacks carried out by terrorists on more than one Syrian region.