Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: Eight Iranians Killed in Attack Attributed to Israel

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that in an attack attributed to Israel on a Syrian army military base on Tuesday night, fifteen individuals were killed, eight of whom were Iranian soldiers. The observatory's report on Wednesday, 19th of Ordibehesht, added that several others were injured and that the death toll may rise, with some individuals reported as 'missing.' The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, managed by Rami Abdulrahman from London, has been monitoring events in the Syrian civil war for the past seven years and two months, and its reports are generally considered credible. Despite the Syrian Observatory's report of 'eight Iranians' killed in the Tuesday night attack, Israeli media have stated that it is still unclear whether the deceased were Iranian forces or their allies. SANA, the official Syrian news agency, reported on Tuesday night that the Al-Kiswah base in the Damascus countryside was targeted. This news agency attributed the attack to Israel but stated that 'Syrian air defenses shot down two Israeli missiles.' Israeli media reported that Iranian warehouses and missile systems at the Al-Kiswah base were targeted. Israel has not officially claimed responsibility for the attack, but statements from the country's Minister of Intelligence suggest that Israel conducted the attack. Israel Katz, the Israeli Minister of Intelligence, told Walla News on Wednesday, 'Iranians understand no language other than force, and the current attacks can prevent violence and war tomorrow.' Katz added, 'We do not want to occupy Syria; we want the Iranians to be forced to retreat from their strategic policy of presence in Syria.' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in recent days that he does not want war with Iran but believes that 'confrontation' with Iran should happen now rather than later, which he claims would be more damaging. Israeli leaders have stated that if Bashar al-Assad allows Iran and its allies to attack from Syria again, 'Assad and his regime will be destroyed.' Naftali Bennett, a senior Israeli government minister, also issued a stern warning to Lebanon on Tuesday night, stating that the aggression from Hassan Nasrallah and Iran from Lebanon would return Lebanon to the Stone Age. Meanwhile, Benjamin Netanyahu, who arrived in Moscow on Wednesday for a brief visit, said he would discuss 'very important issues' with Vladimir Putin; he added that 'continued security coordination between the Russian army (in Syria) and the Israeli army is a necessity.' This eighth meeting between Netanyahu and Putin in the past two and a half years occurs as Israel is deeply pleased with the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA, while Russia has expressed regret over it. Netanyahu was invited by the Russian President to attend the 73rd anniversary of the Allies' victory over the Nazis in Moscow. The recent attack attributed to Israel against Iran in Syria occurred less than two hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced his administration's withdrawal from the JCPOA, the nuclear agreement with Iran. The Israeli army reported on Tuesday night, coinciding with Trump's press conference, that 'suspicious movements' from Iranian forces and their allies were 'observed' in the Syrian Golan Heights. At the same time, the Israeli army instructed officials in cities and settlements in the Golan to open shelters to respond to concerned citizens. This is the first time since the start of the 87-month war in Syria that Israel has opened Golan shelters. In the meantime, Iran has remained silent regarding the deaths of its forces or allied militants in the Tuesday night attack on Al-Kiswah. Since February 21 of last year, several other attacks on Syrian bases, which are considered Iranian troop deployment centers, including Al-Kiswah, T-4, Aleppo, and Hama, have been attributed to Israel. From the reports of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, it appears that dozens of Iranian forces and their allies have been killed in these attacks over the past three months. Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, is the highest-ranking Iranian official who, during a visit to Dezful on Monday, made a vague but meaningful reference to the attacks attributed to Israel on Iranian troop deployment centers in Syria, stating that the recent aggressions and lack of response do not mean acceptance, and a necessary response will be given.