Iran Confirms Deaths of 2 Officers in Alleged Israeli Airstrike in Syria

By Yoni Weiss

Iran said on Saturday that two of its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps officers, Mohammad Ali Atai Shoorcheh and Panah Taghizadeh, were killed in Israeli airstrikes near Damascus on Friday night. Tehran accused the “Zionists” for the deaths, stating that the officers were advising the Syrian military.

According to Syrian state media, the “Israeli enemy” conducted a missile attack from the direction of the Syrian side of the Golan Heights, targeting areas around Damascus. The Syrian army reportedly repelled the attack, downing most of the missiles and causing some material damage.

Local media reports last week said that Israeli airstrikes caused damage to Damascus International Airport and other locations near the Syrian capital. Sources from the pro-regime Sham FM radio claimed that runways were hit, marking at least the fourth such strike since Iran-backed Hamas initiated a cross-border assault on Israel on Oct. 7.

Earlier in October, Israeli strikes led to Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian redirecting his landing to Baghdad instead of Damascus. These strikes also intercepted an Iranian shipment containing anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles destined for the Damascus.

Israel’s actions in Syria have targeted numerous sites over the years, aiming to hinder Iranian military presence in the region. However, Israel rarely confirms its involvement in these incidents.