Middle East crisis: Iran vows 'strong response to bullies' as Gaza war keeps region on edge
File photo of Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi
West Asia continues to be on edge as the war between Israel and Hamas continues to expand in the region. After three US troops were killed at an American base in Jordan allegedly by a group linked to Iran, President Joe Biden has vowed to retaliate but his administration has fallen short of declaring a full-fledged war.
On Friday (Feb 2), Iranian state media reported that an adviser to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps was killed in an Israeli air strike near Syria's capital Damascus.
Senior Iranian officers killed in Syria since December
The Iranian state media report, citing a military source, claimed that the Israeli aircraft launched their missiles from over the Golan Heights at the targets south of the capital at around 4:20 AM (local time).
It was reported on Feb 1 that the Iranian forces have scaled back the deployment of their senior officers in Syria due to a number of deadly strikes blamed on Israel.
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Since December, the alleged Israeli strikes have killed more than half a dozen of the members of Iranian security apparatus, among them one of the Guards' top intelligence generals.
After the Iran-backed proxy militant groups ratcheted up attacks on Israel in their purported solidarity with Palestinians, Israel has stepped up a years-long campaign of air strikes in Syria.
In the process,Israeli forces have attacked both the Guards as well as Hezbollah militants. The Hezbollah has been firing at northern Israel towns and military bases since October 8.
Iran would 'respond strongly' but won't start a war
Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi said on Friday (Feb 2) that the country will not start a war but would "respond strongly" to anyone who tried to bully it.The statement camea day after the US said it was planning attacks on Iranian sites in Iraq and Syria in response to the three members of US forces killed in Jordan.
The war between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas continues to rage 119 days after the Hamas militants stormed inside southern Israel and killed around 1200 citizens, mostly Israelis. The retaliatory state of war in Gaza Strip has claimed over 27,000 lives, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in the blockaded Palestinian enclave.
Besides, the proxy militant groups, namely Iran-backed and Lebanon-based Hezbollah, Yemen's Houthi rebels have further complicated the security situation.
Their actions have impacted one of the world's busiest trade routes in the process.
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Yemen's Houthi rebels have targeted merchant ships in Red Sea in purported solidarity with Palestinians | WION
(With inputs from agencies)
Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.