An Iranian general has been killed in a suspected Israeli air strike near the Syrian city of Aleppo, nearly two months after the Islamic republic warned it would retaliate against attacks on its interests.
Saeed Abyar, described as a military adviser, was targeted in a bombing raid on Monday morning, resulting in the death of several civilians and “material losses”, according to Syria’s official Sana news agency.
The alleged assassination comes just weeks after a suspected Israeli air strike on Iran’s consulate in Syria that killed several high-ranking Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps officials, including two commanders.
In response to the attack, Tehran launched an unprecedented direct attack on Israel as the decades-old shadow war between the two countries exploded briefly into open conflict.
Iran fired a barrage of more than 350 drones and missiles, most of which were intercepted by Israel, with help from its allies including the United States and Britain.
Since Syria’s civil war erupted in 2011, Iran has sent military advisers to support president Bashar al-Assad’s regime, leading to regular suspected Israeli strikes against Iranian military targets.
Israel’s air operations in Syria have picked up since the Oct 7 attacks by Hamas, which is backed by Iran.
Alongside the war in Gaza, Israel has since been targeted by Iran’s proxies from Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon.
Israel rarely acknowledges strikes it carries out in Syria. The two countries have been at war since the founding of the Jewish state in 1948.
It is the second strike within a week. Last week, the Sana news agency quoted a military source who said an attack was launched from the direction of the occupied Golan Heights, targeting some areas in the vicinity of Damascus.