Five IRGC Members Killed in Attack on Damascus

Reports indicate that in an attack on Saturday, January 30, on a building in Damascus, the capital of Syria, five members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including the head of the intelligence unit of this force, were killed. One official from a group supported by the Islamic Republic in the Middle East told the Associated Press that this building was used by IRGC officials and added that 'Israeli missiles' completely destroyed the building. Previously, Reuters reported, citing sources in the 'regional coalition supporting Syria,' that 'an IRGC official' was killed in the airstrike today on a building in Damascus, which Syrian media attributed to Israel. So far, Israel has not claimed responsibility for this attack. The source stated that this multi-story building was used by Iranian advisors supporting the Syrian government and was completely destroyed. A video released on social media shows large smoke rising in the 'Mazza' neighborhood. Syrian state media described this attack as 'Israeli aggression.' As of the time of this report, Israeli officials have not confirmed the claims made in the media. Earlier, on January 18, six informed sources told Reuters that Israel had launched an unprecedented wave of deadly attacks in Syria, targeting trucks, infrastructure, and individuals linked to the transfer of weapons from the Islamic Republic of Iran to its proxy forces in the region. These sources, including a Syrian army intelligence officer and a commander of the regional coalition supporting Damascus, stated that Israel has changed its strategy following the Hamas attack on October 7. According to these sources, although Israel has been attacking Iranian-related targets in Syria for years, it is now conducting deadlier and more frequent airstrikes on Iranian air defense systems and weapons transfers in Syria. Reports indicate that Israeli attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon have intensified. Violence continues in the thirteenth year of the Syrian war; at least 4,360 people have been killed. Six proxy fighters of the Islamic Republic were killed in airstrikes on the Syria-Iraq border. Saudi media reported that 11 commanders and members of the IRGC were killed in the Israeli attack on Syria.