Funeral for IRGC Members Killed in Syria

Thousands of people chanted against Israel and the United States at the funeral for seven Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members killed in a strike in Syria, which Iran blamed on Israel.

The Guards, including two generals, were killed in the air strike on Monday which leveled the Iranian embassy's consular annex in Damascus.

Analysts saw it as an escalation of its campaign against Iran and its regional proxies that runs the risk of triggering a wider war beyond the Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza Strip.

This ceremony coincides with the annual Quds Day commemorations, when Iran and its allies stage marches in support of the Palestinians.

Quds rallies were also planned for other countries, including Syria and Lebanon.

Iran has said that among the dead were two brigadier generals from the Guards' foreign operations arm, the Quds Force, Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi and Mohammad Reza Zahedi.

A Britain-based war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Zahedi was the Quds Force commander for Palestine, Syria and Lebanon.

Mourners held Iranian and Palestinian flags, as well as those from the Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah group.

"Death to Israel!" and "Death to America!" they chanted.

Media States reported that among those present was Ziad Nakhala, leader of the Islamic Jihad group that fights alongside Hamas in Gaza.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said Israel "will be punished" for the killings.

The Gaza war began with Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel. Tehran backs Hamas but has denied any direct involvement in that attack.

Khamenei said the Damascus strike was a "desperate" effort by Israel that "will not save them from defeat" in Gaza.

Israel announced it was strengthening its defenses and pausing leave for combat units following Iran's threats to retaliate.

Monday's attack in Damascus, which the Observatory said killed 16 people, was the fifth raid on Syria in a week.