Iran-Backed Militias In Iraq And Lebanon: Killings Of Senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Officials In Damascus 'Won't Go Unpunished;' Iraqi Hizbullah Declares Intent To Arm Thousands Of Operatives In Jordan To Take Revenge On 'The Sons Of The Monkeys And The Pigs'

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On April 1, 2024, a building adjacent to the Iranian Embassy in the Syrian capital of Damascus was attacked. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that the building belonged to the Iranian consulate and that the attack, which was perpetrated with rockets, killed seven IRGC members, including General Muhammad Reza Zahedi aka Hassan Mahdawi, his deputy, General Muhammad Hadi Haj Rahimi and five additional officers.[1]

Hizbullah and the Iran-backed militias in Iraq condemned the attack and expressed condolences to the Iranian people and its leadership and to the "brothers" in the IRGC and its Qods Force, for the death of Zahedi and the other men. They asserted that "this crime" will only increase their determination to continue on the path of resistance, and threatened that it "won't go unpunished." The Iran-backed Iraqi Hizbullah Brigades militia also declared its intention to arm 12,000 fighters from among "the mujahideen of the Islamic resistance in Jordan" to join them in protecting the Palestinian people and to take revenge for "the attack by the sons of the monkeys and the pigs on the honor of the Muslims."

It should be noted that Zahedi is the most senior Iranian commander to be killed since the U.S. assassination of IRGC Qods Force Commander Qasem Soleimani on January 3, 2020.[2]

The following is a review of the statements issued by the Iran-backed militias between April 1 and 2, 2024:

Iraqi Hizbullah Brigades: We Will Block Land Access To "Zionist Entity"

On April 1, 2024, Hizbullah Brigades spokesman Abu Ali Al-'Askari posted an official announcement on his Telegram channel which stated that the Islamic Resistance in Iraq "had made the preparations to equip the mujahideen brothers of the Islamic resistance in Jordan with whatever is needed for 12,000 fighters, including light and medium weapons, anti-tank rocket launchers, tactical missiles, millions of pieces of ammunition, and tons of explosives." The post said that this was done "so that we can act together to defend our Palestinian brothers and to take revenge for the attack by the sons of the monkeys and the pigs on the honor of the Muslims." In his message, Al-'Askari stressed that his men were ready to begin to supply the equipment, and that all that was needed was a recommendation from the mujahideen in Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) (most-likely to clarify which Jordanian bodies should receive it). He said that the equipment was intended "so that we can begin to block the land route to the Zionist entity."[3]

On April 2, an IRGC-affiliated Telegram channel known as Iran Military Capabilities quoted "a security source" which claimed that the Hizbullah Brigades, "are serious in their intention to arm the rebels in Jordan with all types of weapons, and about their ability to deliver all the weapons and military equipment once a decision to do so is made." The source added that the Hizbullah Brigades is awaiting responses to its offer from Hamas and PIJ, and stressed that the intention is "to attack the Zionist enemy entity and is unrelated to any internal divisions in Jordan, and that Hizbullah opposes them [such divisions] and is not encouraging them."[4]

"Blood Of The Martyrs Was Not Spilled In Vain;" "This Crime Will Not Go Unpunished And The Enemy Will Not Escape Revenge"

On April 1, in a message on its Telegram channel, the Iran-backed Iraqi Ashab Al-Kahf group also condemned "the oppressive attack," and asserted that "the blood of the martyrs was not spilled in vain and will only increase our determination to continue on the path." The group further stated that the conduct of "the enemy" proves how much it has been weakened and absorbed "painful blows" from the axis of resistance.[5]

On April 2, Hizbullah's media relations website posted a statement eulogizing Zahedi as "one of the first supporters, people willing to make sacrifices, and devoted people over long years in the service of developing and promoting resistance in Lebanon." The eulogy vowed that Zahedi's "pure blood will increase the determination to resist and to confront this arrogant and bloodthirsty enemy." It asserted that the killing of senior officials cannot stop "the thunderous expansion of the peoples' resistance," and threatened that "this crime will not go unpunished and the enemy will not escape revenge."[6]