Revolutionary Guards of Iran announced on Monday of launching ballistic missiles into eastern Syria, targeting militants whom they blamed for deadly shooting attack during military parade which killed 25 people.
The launch was the Islamic Republic’s second such missile attack on Syria in over a year. A prominent Syrian war monitor said the missiles struck a town held by the Islamic State group, one of the few remaining pockets of land in Syria still in IS hands.
Saturday’s assault, one of the worst ever against the most powerful force of the Islamic Republic, struck a blow at its security establishment at a time when the United States and its Gulf allies are working to isolate Tehran.
“Considering (the Guards’) full knowledge about the centres of deployment of the criminal terrorists’ leaders, they will face a deadly and unforgettable vengeance in the near future,” the Guards said in a statement carried by state media.
“Our iron fist is prepared to deliver a decisive and crushing response to any wickedness and mischief of the enemies,” the statement added.
The Iranian government has alleged that the assailants were jihadist separatists supported by Gulf Arab allies of the United States.
One missile on state television bore the slogans “Death to America, Death to Israel, Death to Al Saud,” referring to Saudi Arabia’s ruling family. The missile also bore in Arabic the phrase “kill the friends of Satan”, referring to a verse in the Quran on fighting infidels.
In announcing the attack, Iranian state media said the missiles targeted both “takfiri” militants, a term it often applies to the Islamic State group and Ahvazi separatists. The separatists have not been known to work with IS in the past.
“This is the roaring of missiles belonging to the Revolutionary Guard of the Islamic Revolution,” the state TV’s reporter said as the missiles launched behind him.
> Shatabdi Sarker Poushi
