Israel Could face Lawsuit from Iran Over Missile Attack on Syria Embassy

Syria remains relatively stable since the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) was pushed back to the periphery. Now with Israeli fighter jets having fired missiles at the Iranian Embassy in the Syrian capital Damascus earlier this week, killing senior military commanders¹ vulnerabilities are exposed. Syria is Iran’s closest Arab ally so Israel was striking Tehran at the closest point to its heart. Tehran has said it will retaliate, with experts saying it has options at its disposal with wide-ranging ramifications.² But why does Israel keep launching air strikes on Syria and what will happen next?³ The Israeli military has been regularly assaulting Syria for more than a decade, taking advantage of the country’s chaos following its civil war that started in 2011.^{4 (Al Jazeera English on MSN)}  

Israel, it should clear is taking advantage of Syria’s vulnerabilities to wreak havoc on Iran for having provided technical, practical and financial support to Hamas. Israel is waging a war against the militant group in Gaza for taking hostages on the 7^th of October at a concert. The attacks by the Israel Defence Force in Damascus are meant to cripple the Iranians’ most well-equipped military extension and discourage Iran from continuing its support of Hamas. It is all about gaining tactical advantage. The Pressure of the Israelis is to make the Iranians feel insecure in its alliances, putting its military leadership at risk. Syria for its path under President Bashir al Assad has remained faithful to Iran as well as Russia acting as a conduit for both nations’ agendas.

The war has largely ended, and years of Iranian and Russian support for the rule of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have left him in power over most of the country.⁵ But Syria remains torn, with various factions controlling different parts of the country, which provides Israel with an opportunity to launch air strikes.⁶ As a Western-sanctioned al-Assad government is faced with US-backed Kurdish forces, opposition forces, Turkish military operations in the north, and ISIL (ISIS), Israel often uses the occupied Golan Heights to launch attacks on Syria and Lebanon – with the al-Assad regime unable to prevent it from doing so.⁷ The attacks have only intensified since 2017 – almost becoming a weekly occurrence – to target rising Iranian and Hezbollah presence and influence in Syria.⁸ The version of the story Iran and Syria give is that they and Lebanon’s Hezbollah are allied against Israel and its key military and financial backer, the United States, along with armed and political groups in Iraq and Yemen in a so-called “axis of resistance”.^{9 (Al Jazeera English on MSN)} 

Assad’s regime still controls large swarths of territory across the country. The question pertaining to Assad’s rule is after he has marginalised ISIS and Free Syrian Army, what are his plans going forward? Does he deserve to remain in power after all the atrocities and human rights abuses, he has committed? What right does he have to remain in power? Assad has been lucky compared with the other four dictators who met the end of their tenures and in the case of Qaddafi their life in 2011. Assad had been able to count on the support he and his father and predecessor Hafez al-Assad cultivated from Russia and Iran to stay power. He even made Türkiye an ally when Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan was calling for him to step down. The Result is that Assad has been able to come back with a firmer grip on power. This latest attack by the Israelis could lead to Assad turning the tide of dissent that has been brewing in Syria against him to Israel.

The Syrians are still technically at war with Israel, and would want to see the Occupied Golan Heights returned to them. This is why the Syrians have always supported proxy groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah in the occupied territories and Lebanon.

Meanwhile there are plans for a lawsuit by Iran for the attack on its embassy in Damascus. Iran’s Vice President for Legal Affairs, Mohammad Dehquan, has said the country would file a lawsuit against Israel for its deadly attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria.¹⁰ Dehquan made the statement while addressing a news conference on the side lines of a cabinet meeting in the Iranian capital Tehran.¹¹ He hinted at Iran’s legal measures against Israel for its missile strike that levelled the consular building in the Syrian capital Damascus, resulting in 14 fatalities.¹² According to him, the Israeli attack violated international law and Iran is currently making the legal assessments and would soon provide information regarding its legal decisions.^{13 (Daily Post Nigeria)}

The truth is that Israel will shed blood wherever it can. It will do so against those it regards as a threat to its security and survival. This applies to Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas. If Iran sues Israel over the attack how will the Iranians be able to ensure Israel pays. The case will likely be opened in a court in Tehran. But how will it take place? What further action can Iran take against a country it does not even recognise. Will the Iranian government call for sanctions? It would be unlikely for the UN to support them. Seven of the fourteen men killed were among the Iranians’ best operatives.^{14(Al Jazeera English on MSN)} They were irreplaceable in terms of strategic and tactical planning. The Iranians have reconciled with Saudi Arabia after a protracted cold war and the Saudis were looking to establish diplomatic relations with the Israelis before Netanyahu launched his war in Gaza. It looks like all sides will have to reassess their goals and agendas.