Razi Mousavi (Persian: رازی موسوی; 1963 – 25 December 2023) was an Iranian military officer serving in the IRGC's Quds Force. He was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Sayyidah Zaynab, Rif-Dimashq, Syria during the Israel–Hamas war. At the time of his death, Mousavi was described as Iran's most influential military commander in Syria.[1]
Razi Mousavi | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1963 Zanjan, Imperial State of Iran |
| Died | 25 December 2023 (aged 59–60) Sayyidah Zaynab, Rif Dimashq, Syria |
| Allegiance |  Iran |
| Service |  Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps |
| Years of service | 1980–2023 |
| Rank | Brigadier general |
| Battles / wars | |
Military career
Born in 1963,[2] Mousavi served in Syria under the IRGC's elite unit, the Quds Force, from the 1980s, facilitating the transfer of arms and funds to the Lebanese paramilitary group Hezbollah. In 1990, he assumed the role of the head of the Iranian logistical division in Syria, known as Unit 2250. Throughout the Syrian Civil War, Mousavi faced multiple assassination attempts orchestrated by Israel.[3][4][5]
Death
Mousavi was killed on 25 December 2023, in a targeted Israeli airstrike at his residence in Sayyidah Zaynab, 10 km (6 mi) south of Damascus, amid the Israel–Hamas war. Mousavi's assassination marked the highest-ranking killing of a senior Iranian military official since the targeted assassination of Qasem Soleimani, until the subsequent killing of Mohammad Reza Zahedi in April 2024.[6][7]
Reactions
Hours after the incident, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement that, "Undoubtedly, the usurping and barbaric Zionist regime will pay for this crime."[5]
Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi called Mousavi's killing "a sign of the Zionist regime's frustration and weakness in the region for which it will certainly pay the price".[5]
Syrian foreign minister Faisal Mekdad also condemned the attack.[8]
Hamas said in a statement that "the assassination of Mousavi in Syrian territory is a crime, violation of Arab sovereignty and it's a cowardly attack [which] threatens the security and stability of the entire region".[9][10]
In a statement, Lebanon's Hezbollah called Israel's action "clear, shameless aggression and crossing all limits."[9]
Palestinian Islamic Jihad described Israel's assassination of Mousavi as a "cowardly crime".[11]
References
- ^ Hashem, Ali (25 December 2023). "Inside story: Airstrike kills Iran's 'most influential' commander in Syria". Amwaj Media. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
- ^ شهید سید رضی موسوی که بود؟ / زندگینامه (in Persian)
- ^ "Who is Radi Mousavi, who was close to Soleimani and Nasrallah, who was killed by Israel in Syria?" (in Arabic). Al Arabiya. 25 December 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ "Razi Mousavi, one of the IRGC forces in Syria and close to Qassem Soleimani, was killed in an Israeli attack" (in Persian). Iran International. 25 December 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ a b c "Israeli air strike in Syria kills top Iranian military adviser". Al Jazeera. 25 December 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ "Iran warns Israel will pay after top IRGC commander killed in Syria airstrike". Jerusalem Post. 25 December 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ "Top Iranian general killed by Israeli airstrike: sources". Axios. 1 April 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
- ^ "نامه سوریه به سازمان ملل درباره ترور سردار موسوی" (in Persian). Mashregh News. 28 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
- ^ a b "Hamas, Hezbollah condemn Israel's killing of IRGC commander". New Arab. 26 December 2023.
- ^ "Hamas, Ansarullah condemn assassination of Iranian commander in Syria". IRNA. 26 December 2023. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
- ^ "Israeli airstrike in Syria kills senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards member". Reuters. 26 December 2023.