Attack on Iran consulate in Syria escalates conflict in Middle East

Geoff Bennett:

There is an escalation of tension in the Middle East tonight beginning in Damascus, Syria.

Amna Nawaz:

Earlier today, warplanes attacked a building inside Iran's consulate complex there and killed some of the most senior members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps. And, tonight, there are reports of new attacks on international ships in the Red Sea and a base in Southern Israel.

Nick Schifrin is here now, has been following all of this.

So, Nick, let's begin with Damascus. What do we know about what happened there this morning?

Nick Schifrin:

An official with knowledge of the operation tells me that Israel attacked inside Damascus, killing three senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders, including Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi. That is Zahedi there.

This is the most significant strike against the IRGC since the U.S. killed Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani. You can actually see Soleimani there on the left in the suit. And this photo shows a lot, in this photo as well.

Zahedi was extremely important to Iran's efforts in both Syria and Lebanon. That is actually Qasem Soleimani's successor right there. Zahedi was the point man with Iran-backed Hezbollah who oversaw financing in both Syria and Lebanon, as well as shipments of Iranian weapons into Syria and Lebanon.

Also killed was Zahedi's deputy, Mohammad Hadi Hajriahimi. So you see him there, Hajriahimi, there. Essentially what happened today is the decapitation of IRGC leadership in Syria and Lebanon. It wasn't only the targets, Amna. It was also the location.

You see that there inside Iran's consulate in Damascus. That is the first time that Iranian sovereign territory inside Syria has been struck, apparently by Israel. Now, I should say, the official with knowledge of the operation told me that there was not a diplomatic building, but, nonetheless, a very significant strike against Iran's longtime efforts in Lebanon and Syria.

Amna Nawaz:

Nick, as you know better than most, there's always the concern about rising tensions, escalating violence here.

Has there been any kind of response yet?

Nick Schifrin:

By Iran, absolutely.

So, as you suggested at the top, there has been confirmation by Israel of an attack in Southern Israel in Eilat on a naval base there, believed -- an Israeli official tells me, believed from Yemen, from Houthis in Yemen. And we are also tracking reports both of a Houthi attack on international ships off the coast of Yemen -- that would be the first time in a few days -- and a possible strike on Al-Tanf.

That is the U.S. base in Syria that has not been attacked since February.

Amna Nawaz:

Meanwhile, we know senior U.S. and Israeli officials also met today about Israel's plans for a potential operation in Rafah, in Gaza. What do we know?

Nick Schifrin:

Yes.

So, President Biden, senior national security aides and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's senior national security aides met virtually today to talk about this operation in Rafah. The U.S. does not want a major Israeli operation into Rafah, where some 1.4 million Gazans have fled, but where Hamas' final four battalions are hiding amongst that population in Rafah.

Israel says there's no way to win the war without defeating those battalions. But what the U.S. wants is a much more targeted operation. Both sides saying tonight they have the same objective, but the U.S. side expressed its concern and the Israeli side agreed to take those concerns.

Amna Nawaz:

Nick Schifrin with the very latest.

Nick, thank you very much.

Nick Schifrin:

Thank you.