IRGC Commander Threatens Israel with 'Devastating Thunderbolts'

In response to the killing of Mohammad Ali Allah Dadi, a commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and six members of Hezbollah in Lebanon, the IRGC commander threatened Israel, stating that it should expect what he called 'devastating thunderbolts.' According to Fars News Agency, Mohammad Ali Jafari emphasized on Tuesday, January 30, that the IRGC will stand firm until the 'collapse' of Israel and will continue its support for what he referred to as 'Muslim fighters and warriors in the region.' Hezbollah announced on January 28 that six of its members were killed in an Israeli attack on the group's forces in the Quneitra region. Reports indicate that Jihad Mughniyeh, the son of Imad Mughniyeh, a former Hezbollah commander, was also killed in this attack. The IRGC's public relations office reported on January 29 that 'Brigadier General Mohammad Ali Allah Dadi' was killed following an attack by 'an Israeli helicopter' in the Quneitra region of Syria. According to the Associated Press, Israel has neither confirmed nor denied the attack. In his message, Jafari stated, 'These martyrdoms proved that we should not distance ourselves from jihad; the Zionists should expect devastating thunderbolts as they have seen the emergence of our wrath in the past.' This threat from Jafari comes as several Iranian parliament members threatened Israel on Monday and Tuesday, stating that it should expect a missile attack from Hezbollah. For instance, Hossein Naqavi Hosseini, spokesman for the Iranian Parliament's National Security Commission, said on Monday, 'If Hezbollah decides, it can strike all military bases in the occupied territories with long-range missiles, and a military response for Hezbollah is not difficult.' Sheikh Naim Qassem, the deputy secretary-general of Hezbollah, had announced on December 23 that the group was equipped with Iranian-made 'precision missiles' that, according to IRGC-affiliated media, 'can accurately target most areas of Israel.' Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of Hezbollah, also stated last week in an interview with the 'Al-Mayadeen' news network that 'Hezbollah possesses weapons that even the enemy cannot imagine.' In his message, the IRGC commander viewed the composition of the casualties from 'this incident' as a sign that 'the Islamic Revolution has transcended geographical borders and a united Islamic front has formed.' Jafari added, 'The IRGC, as demonstrated in past wars in Lebanon and Palestine, will stand firm until the collapse of the Zionist regime and will not rest until the complete removal of this germ of corruption from the political geography of the region through continued and deepening support for Muslim fighters and warriors in the region.' Iranian officials refer to armed Palestinian and Lebanese groups opposing Israel as 'Islamic Resistance' and 'Muslim Fighters.' Ayatollah Ali Khamenei described the war with Israel as a 'decisive war' that 'must finalize the matter' during a meeting with the Secretary-General of Palestinian Islamic Jihad on October 16. Other Iranian officials also condemned what they called Israel's attack on the Golan Heights in Syria, which resulted in the deaths of several Hezbollah members and an IRGC commander. The website of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic also published a photo on Tuesday of previous meetings between Jihad Mughniyeh and Khamenei, referring to him as 'the son of the Imam.'