A senior member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Hajj Habib Zadeh, was assassinated in Damascus during an operation carried out by Israel in Syria on Wednesday, according to Syrian media.
Zadeh was a key player in Iran’s military and politics, known amongst his peers for his strong leadership and commitment to the Islamic Revolution.
The circumstances behind Zadeh’s assassination are still unclear, with contradicting intelligence reports surfacing from various sources. Some assume that it was a targeted strike by foreign agents, specifically Israel, while others say it was an internal power struggle within the IRGC.
Regardless of the reason for the assassination, Zadeh’s killing will have far-reaching consequences for Iran and the Middle East in general. The IRGC is a powerful and important force in the area, and Zadeh’s death leaves a gap that may be difficult to replace.
In early April, Israel bombed the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, resulting in the death of seven Iranian military advisers, including Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior commander in Iran’s Quds Force, an elite foreign espionage and paramilitary arm.
Yesterday, Israel struck inside Iranian territory, assassinating Hamas senior leader Ismail Haniyeh while he was in Teheran to attend the inauguration of Iran’s new President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Pezeshkian has warned that his country will “defend its territory” and make the “invaders regret their cowardly action.”
Iran has declared three days of nationwide public mourning for Haniyeh.