IRGC Military Advisor Martyred in US Aerial Strike on Syria
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Behrouz Vahedi, a military advisor of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), was assassinated during an overnight airstrike by US warplanes in eastern Syria, as confirmed by Syrian media reports.
The attack occurred in Deir ez-Zur Province early Tuesday, with the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) verifying the assault, stating, “Seven soldiers and one civilian” were killed in the US airstrike on various locations, causing casualties and significant damage to property.
Amidst the strikes, which targeted residential areas and military sites across the province, including cities of Deir ez-Zur, Mayadin, and Bukamal, 19 soldiers and 13 civilians were wounded, adding to the toll of destruction and loss.
Syrian media reported that US warplanes executed a series of coordinated airstrikes, conducting 10 simultaneous strikes on residential neighborhoods and military installations in the province.
Iran's advisory mission in Syria, sanctioned by Damascus to combat foreign-backed militants since 2011, has faced recurrent assaults, primarily from Israel and the United States, who frequently target Syrian military positions and resistance forces aiding the government.
The intensity of these attacks escalated following Israel’s military aggressions in Gaza in October 2023, that killed at least 32,414 Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip. In response to the recent aggression, the Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned the US airstrikes, holding Washington responsible for violating Syria’s sovereignty and exacerbating the volatile situation.
“Syria cannot forget those who attack its lands and commit crimes against its people,” the Syrian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Declaring Syria's right to self-defense, the Ministry emphasized the need for accountability and international condemnation for such acts, warning of further escalation and instability if such acts of aggression persist.
Demanding an end to the illegal US presence and support for terrorist groups in Syria, Damascus called for global solidarity to halt US military operations and secure the region’s sovereignty and independence.
Despite the defeat of Daesh (ISIS of ISIL) terrorists in 2017, the US maintains a military presence in Syria and Iraq, on the pretext of fighting terrorism, a move denounced by Syrian authorities and their allies as illegitimate and destabilizing.
