After repeatedly threatening through its officials in recent days that the airstrike targeting its consulate in Damascus would not go unpunished, Iran reiterated its threats on Wednesday. "The resistance will respond... or we will," announced Ismail Kowsari, a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission in the Iranian parliament and a former member of the Revolutionary Guard. He stated that his country insists on its right to strike Israel at the appropriate time and place.
In an interview with the "Ilna" news agency, Kowsari claimed that Israel’s attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria is a clear violation of the 1961 United Nations Convention, describing it as an invasion of sovereign territory, as attacking consulates and embassies is tantamount to invading a country’s land. He noted that Iran retains the right to respond, but at the appropriate time and place, stressing that Israel must bear the consequences of its actions.
He announced that various elements within what he termed the “resistance front” will retaliate, adding, "If necessary, we will respond ourselves," referring to Iran-aligned groups in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, which have frequently executed attacks since the onset of the war in Gaza, claiming retaliation while the West accuses them of receiving Iranian support.
Kowsari also emphasized the need for the main members of the United Nations to convene as soon as possible to address this issue and take strong measures against the perpetrators. He asserted that this attack could not have occurred without coordination with the U.S., a claim Washington has repeatedly denied. He mentioned that they will act responsibly and implement measures to prevent a recurrence.
This announcement came just hours after several Iran-aligned militias in the region mobilized following the attack in Damascus. Armed Iraqi factions stated in a statement on Tuesday that they targeted the Israeli Tal Nof base with drones. These factions, which refer to themselves as the "Islamic Resistance in Iraq," also stated on Telegram that they will continue their attacks on Israel, indicating these strikes were in response to the bombing of civilians in Gaza. Abu Alaa al-Walayi, the secretary-general of the "Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada" militia, hinted in a tweet on the X platform about “hell,” writing, "You will see hell," in reference to Israeli forces.
Simultaneously, the Yemeni Houthi group also mobilized, announcing on Tuesday that U.S. Central Command had destroyed a Houthi drone. Additionally, reports emerged of a drone targeting the Tanf base in Syria, marking the first attack by Iraqi militias on U.S. bases since February, seemingly in response to the diplomatic consulate strike, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Hezbollah in Lebanon also hinted yesterday that a response to the consulate attack is forthcoming.
This escalation followed an Israeli airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on Monday, according to Syrian and Iranian officials, which resulted in 11 fatalities, including leaders and members of the Revolutionary Guard amid heightened regional tensions. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that "Israeli missiles destroyed a building adjacent to the embassy on Mazzeh Highway in the capital Damascus." The targeted building is located directly next to the Iranian embassy, which prominently displays a large image of Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force who was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Iraq in January 2020.
Israel has declined to comment on the attack. The Revolutionary Guard announced the deaths of several high-ranking individuals, including Quds Force commander Mohammad Reza Zahidi, Brigadier General Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, as well as advisors Hussein Amanollahi, Mehdi Jalalati, Mohsen Sadeghat, Ali Agha Babaei, and Seyed Ali Salehi Rozbehani, during the consulate strike.
