In a major escalation of the Syrian proxy war, Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it launched multiple missile strikes from IRGC missile bases in provinces of Kermanshah & Kordestan, targeting "terror bases" in Deir ez-Zor in eastern Syria in retaliation for ISIS-claimed attacks in Tehran.
#Iran has launched missiles from #IRGC #missile bases in provinces of Kermanshah & Kordestan, targeting terrorists in #DeirEzzor of #Syria.
— Abas Aslani (@AbasAslani) June 18, 2017
Footage of the moment the IRGC fired the missiles is shown below:
#BREAKING: Assessments in Israel: 4 Shahab-3 missiles launched https://t.co/8Xwy1F7NpE
— Amichai Stein (@AmichaiStein1) June 18, 2017
Footage of the moment #Iran's IRGC fires missiles targeting terrorists in #DeirEzzor of #Syria.#IRGC pic.twitter.com/7UR07RXw7y
— Abas Aslani (@AbasAslani) June 18, 2017
Another footage of the moment when #Iran's IRGC fires missiles targeting terrorists in #DeirEzzor of #Syria.#IRGC pic.twitter.com/MHfEpO05yx
— Abas Aslani (@AbasAslani) June 18, 2017
The launch takes place just a couple of hours after Iran's Supreme leader said "they cannot slap us in the face. We will slap them in the face... Iran has stood firm & strong."
As reporter Anshel Pfeffer observes, this is a "major development" and constitutes the "first operational use of mid-range missiles by Iran since war with Iraq."
Major development. First operational use of mid-range missiles by Iran since war with Iraq. https://t.co/3oxXw4PvzX
— Anshel Pfeffer (@AnshelPfeffer) June 18, 2017
According to the AP, the "Guard's website as well as the Tasnim semi-official news agency, reported the strikes Sunday on Deir el-Zour, Syria. The Guard’s website said it launched surface-to-surface medium-range missiles targeting the area. It did not immediately offer other specifics, other than to say the missiles were launched from Iran."
"The spilling of any pure blood will not go unanswered," the Revolutionary Guards said in a statement, according to Tasnim, which adds that the IRGC announced that a high number of terrorists have been killed by the missile attack.
Such an attack is rare in Syria’s long-running civil war, in which Iran is backing embattled Syrian President Bashar Assad.
The attack is reportedly in response to the previously reported attack in which five ISIS-linked terrorist stormed Iran’s parliament and a shrine to revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini this month, killing at least 17 people and wounding more than 50. Iran blamed Saudi Arabia for the attack, claiming its support for ISIS terrorist had made it possible.
The launch takes place just hours after Iran held a joint naval drill with Chinese warship in the Straits of Hormuz, as reported previously.