BEIRUT, Lebanon: The death toll from the air strike on an Iranian embassy annex building in Damascus — widely blamed on Israel — had risen to 11, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor.
“The death toll from the Israeli strikes on the Iranian embassy annex has risen to 11: eight Iranians, two Syrians and one Lebanese — all of them fighters, none of them civilians,” British-based Observatory head, Rami Abdel Rahman told media. The observatory had previously said there were eight dead.
Israeli airstrikes struck a building adjacent to the Iranian embassy in Syria’s capital, Damascus, on Monday, resulting in casualties and significant damage. Earlier, state media reported eight persons were killed in the building.
According to Syria’s official news agency SANA, the Israeli airstrikes targeted the Iranian consulate building located in the Mazzeh neighborhood of Damascus. “The Israeli attack targeted the Iranian consulate building in the Mazzeh neighbourhood of Damascus,” the news agency reported.
Meanwhile, Iranian local media reported that the strikes destroyed a building next to the embassy, with Iran’s ambassador and his family fortunately escaping unharmed. “Hossein Akbari, ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Damascus, and his family were not harmed in the Israeli attack,” Iran’s Nour news agency reported.
There has been no immediate comment from Israel regarding the incident, which occurred amid ongoing Israeli bombardment in Gaza since October 7. The destruction of the annex building adjacent to the Iranian embassy was confirmed by media-men at the scene, highlighting the intensity of the attack.
Reports from Iranian media further emphasized that the strikes resulted in the complete destruction of the annex building, while reiterating the safety of the Iranian ambassador and his family.
Earlier, Britain-based group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said “Israeli missiles… destroyed the building of an annex to the Iranian embassy… in Damascus, killing six people”.
Syria’s official SANA news agency earlier reported that “our air defence systems confronted enemy targets in the vicinity of Damascus”.
The Syrian Observatory reported that the Israeli missiles destroyed the building, which served as an annex to the Iranian embassy, that killed eight persons. This incident follows recent Israeli airstrikes in Syria, including strikes that claimed the lives of 53 individuals, including Syrian soldiers and members of Hezbollah.
It was the highest Syrian army toll in Israeli strikes since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7.
