An Israeli strike on Damascus killed five people in a building where “Iran-aligned leaders” were meeting on Saturday, a war monitor said, as regional tensions soar over the Israel-Gaza war.

“An Israeli missile strike targeted a four-storey building, killing five people … and destroying the whole building where Iran-aligned leaders were meeting,” said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The British-based monitor with a network of sources inside Syria said the targeted neighbourhood is known to be a high-security zone home to leaders of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and pro-Iran Palestinian factions.

“They were for sure targeting senior members” of those groups, said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman.

The mid-morning strike, which caused a large plume of smoke to billow into the sky, was also reported by Syrian state media.

“An attack targeted a residential building in the Mazzeh neighbourhood in Damascus, resulting from an Israeli aggression,” the official SANA news agency reported. It did not say if there were any casualties.

“I heard the explosion clearly in the western Mazzeh area, and I saw a large cloud of smoke,” a resident told Agence France-Presse.

“The sound was similar to a missile explosion, and minutes later I heard the sound of ambulances,” he added.

During more than a decade of civil war in Syria, Israel has launched hundreds of air strikes on its territory, primarily targeting Iran-backed forces as well as Syrian army positions.

But it has intensified attacks since the war between Israel and Hamas, which like Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement is an ally of Iran, began on October 7.

In December, an Israeli air strike killed Razi Moussavi, a senior general with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, the military force said.

Razi Moussavi was the most senior commander of the Guards’ foreign operations arm, the Quds Force, to be killed outside Iran since a US drone strike in Baghdad in January 2020 killed the Force’s commander, Qassem Soleimani.

In the same month, air strikes in eastern Syria, “likely” carried out by Israel, killed at least 23 pro-Iran fighters, the Observatory said at the time, reporting four more dead in the country’s north.

Recent months have also seen regular cross-border exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

Israel rarely comments on individual strikes targeting Syria, but it has repeatedly said it will not allow arch-foe Iran, which backs President Bashar al-Assad’s government, to expand its presence there.

Since 2011, Syria has endured a bloody conflict that has claimed over half a million lives and displaced several million people.

An Israeli strike on Damascus killed five people in a building where “Iran-aligned leaders” were meeting on Saturday, a war monitor said, as regional tensions soar over the Israel-Gaza war.

An Israeli strike on Damascus killed five people in a building where “Iran-aligned leaders” were meeting on Saturday, a war monitor said, as regional tensions soar over the Israel-Gaza war. “An Israeli missile strike targeted a four-storey building, killing five people … and destroying the whole building where Iran-aligned leaders were meeting,” said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The British-based monitor with a network of sources inside Syria said the targeted neighbourhood is known to be a high-security zone home to leaders of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and pro-Iran Palestinian factions. “They were for sure targeting senior members” of those groups, said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman. The mid-morning strike, which caused a large plume of smoke to billow into the sky, was also reported by Syrian state media. “An attack targeted a residential building in the Mazzeh neighbourhood in Damascus, resulting from an Israeli aggression,” the official SANA news agency reported. It did not say if there were any casualties. “I heard the explosion clearly in the western Mazzeh area, and I saw a large cloud of smoke,” a resident told Agence France-Presse. “The sound was similar to a missile explosion, and minutes later I heard the sound of ambulances,” he added. During more than a decade of civil war in Syria, Israel has launched hundreds of air strikes on its territory, primarily targeting Iran-backed forces as well as Syrian army positions. But it has intensified attacks since the war between Israel and Hamas, which like Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement is an ally of Iran, began on October 7. In December, an Israeli air strike killed Razi Moussavi, a senior general with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, the military force said. Razi Moussavi was the most senior commander of the Guards’ foreign operations arm, the Quds Force, to be killed outside Iran since a US drone strike in Baghdad in January 2020 killed the Force’s commander, Qassem Soleimani. In the same month, air strikes in eastern Syria, “likely” carried out by Israel, killed at least 23 pro-Iran fighters, the Observatory said at the time, reporting four more dead in the country’s north. Recent months have also seen regular cross-border exchanges of fire between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Israel rarely comments on individual strikes targeting Syria, but it has repeatedly said it will not allow arch-foe Iran, which backs President Bashar al-Assad’s government, to expand its presence there. Since 2011, Syria has endured a bloody conflict that has claimed over half a million lives and displaced several million people.

Israel strikes in Syrian capital Damascus leave five ‘Iran-aligned leaders’ dead

An official close to the office of Iran's supreme leader on Monday denied rumours Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's health was deteriorating, local media reported.

"May it blind the enemies' eyes that with the grace of God and the prayers of devotees, (Khamenei) is in good health and is carrying out his plans following the usual schedule," Mehdi Fazaeli said on Twitter.

Fazaeli was described by Iranian media as a member of the office for the publication of Khamanei's works.

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Rumours of Khamenei's worsening health had circulated online after claims on social media that were carried by foreign news outlets.

According to Iran's Tasnim news agency, this had started with a "fake" tweet making the claim on an Arabic account described as being "owned by a separatist individual based in London."

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Khamenei's last public appearance was on November 24, when he met Iran's top officials, with videos of the meetings aired by state television.

The 81-year-old leader had undergone a successful prostate cancer operation in 2014.

State TV on Monday denied reports of a meeting of the Assembly of Experts, an 88-strong body of elected clerics responsible for appointing and monitoring the supreme leader.

It said a picture circulating on social media, purportedly of the news channel reporting such a meeting, was fake.

An official close to the office of Iran's supreme leader on Monday denied rumours Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's health was deteriorating, local media reported. "May it blind the enemies' eyes that with the grace of God and the prayers of devotees, (Khamenei) is in good health and is carrying out his plans following the usual schedule," Mehdi Fazaeli said on Twitter.

An official close to the office of Iran's supreme leader on Monday denied rumours Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's health was deteriorating, local media reported. "May it blind the enemies' eyes that with the grace of God and the prayers of devotees, (Khamenei) is in good health and is carrying out his plans following the usual schedule," Mehdi Fazaeli said on Twitter. Fazaeli was described by Iranian media as a member of the office for the publication of Khamanei's works. Also read| Israel calls Abraham Accords an 'opportunity' for Palestinians Rumours of Khamenei's worsening health had circulated online after claims on social media that were carried by foreign news outlets. According to Iran's Tasnim news agency, this had started with a "fake" tweet making the claim on an Arabic account described as being "owned by a separatist individual based in London." Also read| Iran tells IAEA it will accelerate underground uranium enrichment Khamenei's last public appearance was on November 24, when he met Iran's top officials, with videos of the meetings aired by state television. The 81-year-old leader had undergone a successful prostate cancer operation in 2014. State TV on Monday denied reports of a meeting of the Assembly of Experts, an 88-strong body of elected clerics responsible for appointing and monitoring the supreme leader. It said a picture circulating on social media, purportedly of the news channel reporting such a meeting, was fake.

Iran official denies Khamenei's failing health rumours

US President Donald Trump on Sunday told the Iranian authorities not to kill the protesters in an apparent reference to people protesting against the military after it admitted that it had mistakenly shot down the Ukrainian airliner.

US President Donald Trump on Sunday told the Iranian authorities not to kill the protesters in an apparent reference to people protesting against the military after it admitted that it had mistakenly shot down the Ukrainian airliner. All 176 people aboard the flight, many of them Iranians with dual citizenship, were killed. ''To the leaders of Iran - DO NOT KILL YOUR PROTESTERS. Thousands have already been killed or imprisoned by you, and the World is watching. More importantly, the USA is watching,'' Trump tweeted. ''Turn your internet back on and let reporters roam free! Stop the killing of your great Iranian people!'' he added. To the leaders of Iran - DO NOT KILL YOUR PROTESTERS. Thousands have already been killed or imprisoned by you, and the World is watching. More importantly, the USA is watching. Turn your internet back on and let reporters roam free! Stop the killing of your great Iranian people! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2020 × Protesters piled pressure on Iran's leadership on Sunday with demands for top authorities to quit after the Iranian military admitted it had mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian airliner at a time when it had feared US strikes. "They are lying that our enemy is America, our enemy is right here," dozens of protesters outside a university in Tehran chanted, according to video clips posted on Twitter. Scores of demonstrators were also shown gathered in other cities. The social media posts could not be verified by Reuters. But state-affiliated media had reported protests on Saturday shortly after the Iranian military apologised for mistakenly bringing down the Ukrainian plane on Wednesday, killing all 176 aboard.

'Do not kill your protesters, world is watching', Trump warns Iran

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Israel strikes in Syrian capital Damascus leave five ‘Iran-aligned leaders’ dead

Iran official denies Khamenei's failing health rumours

'Do not kill your protesters, world is watching', Trump warns Iran