On April 1, several senior commanders and officers overseeing Iran’s covert operations in the Middle East were killed during a military strike in Damascus, Syria, according to press reports. White House national security spokesman John Kirby dismissed as "nonsense" Iranian charges of U.S. responsibility for the bombing. "Let me make it clear,” he said during a briefing. “We had nothing to do with the strike in Damascus."
Ambassador Robert Wood, Alternate Representative for Special Political Affairs at the UN said, “As we gather details [about the bombing], one thing is clear: Iran and its proxy and partner groups need to avoid escalating tensions in the region.”
“Indeed, since the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel, the United States has repeatedly warned Iran not to take advantage of the situation to escalate its longstanding proxy war against Israel and other actors. Iran has ignored that warning,” he said. “Terrorists and other armed groups, some backed by the Syrian regime and Iran, have used Syrian territory to plot and launch attacks on Israel and U.S. facilities and personnel.”
Iranian-backed and armed Hezbollah regularly attack Israel from Lebanon. And not only there, noted Ambassador Wood:
“In the Red Sea, Iranian-backed Houthis have violated international law and repeatedly attacked commercial and merchant vessels. Iranian backed groups also have attacked U.S. diplomatic facilities in Iraq and attacked U.S. military personnel engaged in the fight against ISIL. Iran’s hand is evident in the actions of all of these terrorist and proxy and partner groups.”
“We also have longstanding concerns regarding the use of Syrian territory to launch attacks on neighboring countries,” said Ambassador Wood:
“For example, on March 31, an Israeli fighter jet reportedly intercepted a suspicious aerial target making its way toward Israel from the direction of Syria. And on numerous occasions since October 7, we have seen rockets, armed drones, and other weaponry being launched from Syrian territory toward Israeli positions in and around the Golan Heights.”
The United States has taken steps in self-defense to respond to attacks on U.S. military personnel conducting operations against ISIS in Syria and Iraq.
All states, including Iran and Syria, have a responsibility to avoid the path of escalation, to stop arming and advising terrorist groups, and to rein in the actions of proxies who threaten regional peace and security.
