UPDATE 2 - Top Iranian commander killed in missile attack on Iran’s consulate in Syria

UPDATES WITH STATEMENT FROM IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON, MINOR EDITS

By Syed Zafar Mehdi

TEHRAN, Iran (AA) - A top commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was killed in a missile strike targeting the Iranian Consulate in the Syrian capital, Damascus, on Monday, according to local media.

Gen. Mohammed Reza Zahedi, a senior commander of the IRGC's Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon, was killed in a strike that destroyed the Iranian consulate building next to the Iranian Embassy, the state-run IRNA news agency reported.

Zahedi was a veteran IRGC commander who previously commanded the IRGC's ground force and air force and also served as the deputy commander of the IRGC's military operations.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani said in a statement that Iran "strongly condemned the attack of the Zionist aggressor regime on the building of the consular section of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Damascus," according to IRNA.

There are also unconfirmed reports about the killing of Gen. Rahimi, who served as General Zahedi's deputy, and Gen. Hossein Amirullah, head of the IRGC general staff in Syria and Lebanon.

The missile strike reportedly targeted a building that served as the Iranian Embassy's consular affairs department as well as the residence of the Iranian ambassador.

Iranian Ambassador to Syria Hossein Akbari and his family were unhurt.

Speaking to the media after the attack, Akbari said the building was attacked with F-35 warplanes and six missiles, killing several Iranian military undersecretaries.

He put the death toll from the attack at between five to seven people.

The diplomat said two police officers were also killed in the attack. "We cannot disclose their names at this time," he added.

Akbari said the attack is against all international conventions and will see a "decisive response."

Israeli Army Radio, however, said the Iranian Embassy was not the target of the attack, but a nearby building serving as an IRGC military headquarters in Damascus was bombed, without acknowledging that the attack was carried out by Tel Aviv.

In a statement, the Syrian Defense Ministry said the attack took place at around 17:00 local time, accusing Israel of carrying out the attack from the Golan Heights.

The ministry said its air defenses downed some of the missiles but the attack led to the "complete destruction" of the building and killing and injuries of everyone present inside.

Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, who visited the Iranian Embassy following the attack, condemned what he termed a "vile terrorist attack," blaming it on Israel.

The attack came amid heightened tensions in the region in the wake of the Israeli onslaught on the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 32,800 Palestinians and spawned the worst humanitarian crisis.

Earlier, there were reports about the presence of senior Palestinian leaders in the targeted building, including Islamic Jihad leader Ziad al-Nakhaleh.

Nakhaleh and Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh were both in Tehran earlier this week where they held talks with senior Iranian leadership.