Iran said it was carrying out a retaliatory strike against Israel for an April 1 attack on an Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria.
Israel’s army said Monday that those killed in a strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus had engaged in “terrorism against Israel” – the first official comment on the April 1 attack.
“To the best of my knowledge, those who were killed in Damascus were members of the Quds Force. These were people who engaged in terrorism against the State of Israel,” military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said when asked at a briefing about the strike.
“Among these terrorist operatives, there were Hezbollah members and Iranian helpers. There was not a single diplomat there as far as I know. I don’t know of any civilian who was killed in this attack,” he said.
Iran had vowed to avenge the strike on the consular section of its embassy that killed seven Revolutionary Guards including two generals from the Quds Force, the Guards’ foreign operations arm.
Late Saturday, Iran launched more than 300 drones and missiles towards Israel, the first-ever direct attack by Iran on Israeli soil.
Israel’s military said it intercepted 99 per cent of the aerial threats with the help of the United States and other allies, and that the attack caused only minor damage, including to a military base in the country’s south.
Earlier on Monday, Israel’s army chief Herzi Halevi said Israel would respond to the Iranian attack.
“This launch of so many (Iranian) missiles, cruise missiles, and UAVs into the territory of the State of Israel will be met with a response,” Halevi said when he visited the Nevatim base, which the army said was lightly damaged in the Iranian strike.
