The Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1 left political experts and millions of people around the world wondering whether the attack will lead to a direct war between the two nations. Iran has every reason to retaliate, since the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 is still in force. Tehran could respond either by striking the Israeli diplomatic mission on the territory of another country, or by directly attacking Israel. However, this course of action would be too predictable and could lead to a full-scale war with unforeseen consequences. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that he is ready to take harsh action in such a case. According to Netanyahu, Iran has acted against Israel for years, and Israel will respond to any threat to its security. In other words, if Iran strikes Israel, war is inevitable. 

The death of the high-ranking Iranian General Mohammad Reza-Zahedi forces Tehran to respond, but the further development of events will depend on what this response looks like and what reaction follows. Zahedi was an iconic figure in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and in recent times was often compared to the legendary General Qasem Soleimani, who died four years ago in a US airstrike near Baghdad. According to the Coalition Council of Islamic Revolution Forces – a conservative coalition of parties close to the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – Zahedi was directly involved in the planning and implementation of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, which Hamas launched against Israel in October 2023. The deceased general was an important “link” between Tehran and Damascus, as well as Tehran and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and also instructed Hamas militants in conducting military operations against the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). 

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