Iran officially confirmed that seven “military advisers” were killed in an airstrike on a Syrian base, including the commander of its drone unit.
Iran officially confirmed that seven Iranian military officials were killed in an air strike on the T4 airbase in Syria on Monday
The Syrian Tiyas Military Airbase, located in the Homs province, was struck by several missiles on Monday. According to reports, at least 14 were killed in the strike and several others were wounded.
Four of the Iranian casualties have been identified as Seyed Ammar Moussavi, Medi Lotfi Niyasar, Akbar Zawwar Jannati, Mehdi Dehqan Yazdeli.
Yazdeli was reportedly the commander of the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) Aerospace Force, a division that operates drones.
Iran’s Fars News said they were “military advisers.”
The Russian Defense Ministry on Monday issued a rare statement blaming Israel for the attack. It said that two IAF F-15 jets fired the missile at the Syrian airbase from Lebanese airspace. The Ministry also claimed that the Syrian air defense destroyed five of the missiles fired by the IAF, while three other missiles hit the western part of the T4 airfield.
Israel’s Ynet reported that the target of the air strike was apparently an Iranian drone base. In February, an Iranian drone flying out of the T4 base was shot down by Israel.
The T4 Air Airbase is home to Iranian forces, the Lebanese Hezbollah terror organization and Syrian regime forces.
A senior Iranian official threatened Israel, saying the air strike “will not go unanswered.”
Ali Akbar Velayati, an aide to Iran’s supreme leader, made his comments upon arrival in the Syrian capital on Tuesday.
“Victory is near,” Velayati said, according to IRNA.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi strongly condemned the attack on Syria, describing it as a “violation of international laws.”
“The airstrikes on T-4 airbase near Syria’s Homs stand in stark violation of all international law and regulations,” Qassemi said Monday.
He claimed that the attacks represented Israeli support for terrorist groups in Syria.
