Daily Times

In a recent Israeli strike in Syria, a senior Iranian general associated with the Revolutionary Guards lost his life, intensifying tensions in the already volatile Middle East. The situation escalated following attacks by Iran-aligned groups, triggered by Iran-backed Hamas militants’ assault on southern Israel on October 7, leading to a full-blown conflict with Israel.

The demise of Razi Moussavi was reported by Iranian state media, characterizing him as one of the most experienced advisers of the Quds Force, the foreign arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). This incident marks a significant development, as Moussavi is the highest-ranking Quds Force commander to be killed outside Iran since the demise of General Qasem Soleimani nearly four years ago in a US drone strike in Baghdad on January 3, 2020.

Despite the gravity of the situation, Israel has maintained silence on the matter, even as it continues to escalate attacks in Syria, particularly targeting Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah movement since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Moussavi, according to IRNA, was killed in an attack by the Zionist regime in the Zeinabiyah district, situated in the suburbs of Damascus, using an alternative name for Sayyida Zeinab, located south of the Syrian capital.

Razi Moussavi’s role extended to providing logistical support to groups aligned with Tehran and opposing Israel in Syria. The IRGC, in a statement, declared that Moussavi fell victim to a “missile attack” and vowed to avenge his death. Notably, the statement underscored Moussavi’s close association with General Soleimani, emphasizing their companionship and further heightening the significance of his demise.

Expressing condolences for Moussavi’s death, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi asserted that Israel “will certainly pay for this crime,” adding a layer of diplomatic tension to an already complex situation in the region. The IRGC’s commitment to retaliation underscores the potential for further escalation and reprisals in the already fraught geopolitical landscape of the Middle East.