Death of a Revolutionary Guard Commander and Two Hezbollah Members in Israeli Attack on Syrian Port of Baniyas

The Islamic Republic confirmed the death of one of its Revolutionary Guard commanders and two Hezbollah members as a result of an Israeli attack in Syria. The state-run news agency IRNA reported, citing the public relations office of the Revolutionary Guards, that Reza Zarei and the two Hezbollah members were killed early on Friday, March 2, due to an Israeli airstrike on the port of Baniyas. IRNA added that Reza Zarei was 'from the first naval district of the Revolutionary Guards and a military advisor of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.' Iranian officials use the term 'advisor' to refer to their military forces in Syria, which have been deployed in recent years to support Bashar al-Assad's government. Earlier, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that around 4 a.m. on Friday, March 2, a Revolutionary Guard commander and his two non-Syrian companions were killed in an Israeli attack on a villa in the al-Batariyah area south of the port city of Baniyas. This war monitoring organization, based in Britain, also noted that several civilians were injured in the attack, causing significant damage to the targeted villa and nearby buildings. According to statistics compiled by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, this is the 20th Israeli attack against 39 targets in Syrian territory this year, resulting in the deaths of 41 individuals, including seven members of the Revolutionary Guards, nine members of Hezbollah, seven non-Syrian militias supported by the Iranian government, and ten Syrian militias supported by the Islamic Republic. Over the years, Israel has conducted hundreds of airstrikes primarily against members of the Revolutionary Guards and Iran's proxy militias, including Hezbollah, within Syrian territory. The frequency and intensity of these attacks have increased since the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack on southern Israel and the escalation of provocative actions by the Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria. Israel has repeatedly warned that it will not allow the Islamic Republic to expand its presence in Syria. Regional reports indicate that the Revolutionary Guards have given Hezbollah the green light to increase attacks on Israel. An Israeli attack near the Lebanon-Syria border resulted in one death. Israel confirmed attacks on Hezbollah positions and airstrikes in Syria and Lebanon; Arab sources report the deaths of Iranian proxy forces. For the first time, the Israeli army targeted Hezbollah positions deep inside Lebanese territory. Israel has warned 'the head of the snake' and Hezbollah that its patience is running out. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that an Iranian militia weapons depot in the city of Abu Kamal was targeted. A missile attack on a security area in Damascus led Syria to accuse Israel.