Security leaks: Suspicions arise over assassination of Iranian commander in Damascus

Report by Toni Mrad, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

Who is behind the killing of the commander of the Quds Force, affiliated with Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC), in the Iranian consulate in Damascus?

The answer is clear: Israel.

But who is responsible for the security leaks that contributed to his assassination?

According to the Israeli newspaper Maariv, suspicions arise regarding the involvement of elements in Syria in several assassination operations targeting members of the IRGC in the country over the past years.

Following the assassination of senior Revolutionary Guard commander Razi Mousavi in Syria last December, a joint intelligence investigation between Tehran and Damascus was initiated to track potential security breaches.

However, at a particular stage, Iran opted to conduct an independent investigation in collaboration with Hezbollah due to fears of Syrian intelligence interference in the investigation process.

In the end, the investigation yielded a conclusion suggesting that security breaches and leaks leading to assassinations in Syria were under the guise of high-level political and security cover.

Nonetheless, according to the Maariv report, it is unlikely that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was aware of such activities.

Adding to Tehran's suspicions, as reported by Maariv, is that Hezbollah members targeted on Syrian soil were linked to Syrian security agencies, and they were eliminated through spying on their phones.

Contrary to the Israeli narrative, LBCI's sources assert that the Revolutionary Guard investigated the assassination operations, as did the Syrian army.

LBCI suggests it is natural for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to enlist Hezbollah's support in Syria without confirming the incident reported by the Israeli newspaper.