Iran Vows Revenge on Israel After IRGC Commander Killed in Syria

Facts

• Iran has warned that Israel will 'pay the price' for allegedly killing a top Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) adviser in Syria.¹
• Sayyed Razi Mousavi — reportedly responsible for coordinating the military alliance between Iran and Syria, as well as other Iran-backed proxies in the region — was killed after an air strike hit the Sayyida Zeinab district, a suburb of the Syrian capital of Damascus, on Monday.²
• In response, the IRGC stated 'the usurper and savage Zionist regime will pay for this crime.' Similarly, Iranian Pres. Ebrahim Raisi claimed Mousavi 'was martyred' while 'safeguarding Islamic ideals,' adding his death was 'a sign of the Zionist regime's frustration and weakness in the region.'¹
• Tel Aviv's alleged role in Mousavi's killing was also condemned by the Iran-backed Hezbollah group operating out of Lebanon, which launched rocket and drone attacks on several Israel Defense Forces (IDF) units as well as civilian homes in Israel's northern regions on Monday.³
• Hours after Mousavi's death, Israel was also hit with widespread power outages and internet blackouts — prompting speculation of an Iranian cyberattack. However, the Israel Electric Corporation rejected that Tehran had any part in the collapse of its production units.⁴
• Aside from Mousavi, Iran previously blamed Israel for the deaths of two other IRGC officials in Syria earlier this month. Meanwhile, reports suggested that Mousavi had been a close ally of Qassem Soleimani — the head of the IRGC’s Quds Force who was killed in a US drone strike in Iraq in 2020.²

Sources: ¹Newsweek, ²Al Jazeera, ³The times of israel and ⁴Wion.

Narratives

• Pro-Iran narrative, as provided by Islamic republic news agency. The assassination of Sayyed Razi Mousavi was not only a violation of international law but also of Syria's sovereign air space. Iran will respond to these terrorist actions accordingly.
• Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by The times of israel. While Israel, as a general rule, doesn't comment on attacks inside Syria, its military has the right to respond swiftly and conduct operations to safeguard and protect the country's interests.

Predictions