Iran’s Khamenei promises ‘Israel will be punished’ for Syria strike | Conflict News

The assault and rhetoric elevate concern that Israel’s conflict in Gaza threatens to escalate main battle throughout the area.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has promised revenge for an Israeli air raid in Syria that killed senior army officers.

Iran’s supreme chief declared on Tuesday that “Israel can be punished” for the assault yesterday that killed members of the Revolutionary Guards, together with two generals, on the Iranian embassy compound in Damascus. The assault and rhetoric have raised concern that Israel’s conflict in Gaza threatens to escalate main battle throughout the area.

“The evil Zionist regime can be punished by the hands of our courageous males. We’ll make them remorse this crime and the opposite ones,” Khamenei mentioned in a message revealed on his official web site.

The assertion got here as Iranian state tv reported that the loss of life toll from the assault on the consulate constructing has risen to 13, together with seven Iranians and 6 Syrian residents.

Earlier, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi declared that the “cowardly crime won’t go unanswered.”

“Having didn’t destroy the desire of the resistance entrance, the Zionist regime [Israel] has put blind assassinations again on its agenda to avoid wasting itself,” he mentioned.

Hezbollah, the Iran-affiliated armed group that has been swapping assaults with Israel throughout the border with Lebanon because the begin of Israel’s conflict on Gaza, joined in, warning that the assault on the Iranian diplomatic premises “won’t move with out the enemy receiving punishment and revenge”.

Heavy value

Israel has not declared duty for the Syria assault, which destroyed the consular constructing adjoining to the primary embassy constructing within the upscale Mezzeh district of Damascus on Monday evening.

Nonetheless, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant struck a defiant tone in feedback made on Tuesday, albeit with out mentioning Iran.

Israel is in a conflict on a number of fronts “each offensively and defensively,” he advised parliament’s Protection and International Affairs Committee.

“We function all over the place, each day, so as to stop our enemies from gaining power and so as to make it clear to anybody who acts towards us – all around the Center East – that the value for motion towards Israel can be a heavy one.”

Robust response

The assault has additional sophisticated the scenario within the Center East, the place pressure has been effervescent because the onset of the Gaza conflict in October.

Tehran has been making an attempt to keep away from a direct battle with Israel, whereas backing allies which have engaged with Israeli and US targets. However it’s feared that the newest incident might widen hostilities.

“If Iran doesn’t reply strongly sufficient, many right here consider it will likely be seen as an indication of weak spot, not solely to Israel and the US, but additionally to quite a lot of its proxies within the area,” stories Al Jazeera’s Dorsa Jabbari from Tehran.

“If Iran does react strongly, it might threat a full-out confrontation with the US,” she provides. “It’s actually a tough second.”

Amid the stress, the UN Safety Council is about to debate the scenario in a particular session requested by Russia, an ally of each Syria and Iran.

China has condemned the assault, insisting that the safety of diplomatic establishments “can’t be violated”. The EU, in the meantime, has known as on all events to indicate restraint.

Nonetheless, Jabbari urged that “the rhetoric coming from Iranian officers, in addition to the supreme chief, signifies there can be a robust response”.