Iran has repatriated the bodies of seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps killed in the attack on the country's consulate in Damascus, which Tehran blamed on Israel, local media reported, AFP reported.
The Guardsmen, including two generals, were killed in the April 1 airstrike that leveled the consular building of the Iranian embassy. Analysts see the move as part of stepped-up Israeli action against Iranian and pro-Iranian commanders in Syria and Lebanon, which they say could escalate into a wider war.
"The bodies of the martyrs from the Iranian embassy have arrived at Mehrabad Airport" in Tehran, the ISNA news agency reported.
She released a short video showing their coffins being carried by car.
Iran reported that among the dead were two brigadier generals from the foreign policy division of the Guards - the Quds Force, Mohammed Hadi Haji Rahimi and Mohammed Reza Zahedi.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the war, said Zahedi was the commander of the Quds Force for Palestine, Syria and Lebanon.
His death came nearly six months after the start of Israel's war in the Gaza Strip against Hamas, the Iranian-backed Palestinian movement.
State media said the guards' funeral would take place on April 5, which coincides with the annual Quds (Jerusalem) Day, when Iranians plan to march in support of the Palestinians and against Israel.
Iran, Israel's sworn enemy, has been a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during Syria's 13-year civil war. Tehran says it only has military advisers in the country and denies it has sent forces to fight there.
In a statement on Quds Day, Iran's foreign ministry renewed the Islamic Republic's "support for the legitimate struggle of the Palestinian people" against Israel.
The Britain-based Observatory said Tuesday's strikes killed a total of 16 people, including eight Iranians, five Syrian fighters and one from the Lebanese Hezbollah movement. According to her, two civilians also died.
The strike on Damascus is the fifth in a week to hit targets in Syria.
Israel declined to comment on the strike on the consulate, for which Iran has threatened to retaliate.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called the strike a "desperate" effort by Israel that "will not save them from defeat in Gaza."
The war in Gaza began with Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7. Iran denies any direct involvement in the attack. /BGNES
