Iran Launches Missiles into Syria in Response to Tehran Attack
- Updated Jun 19, 2017
Iran’s military claimed Sunday that it had launched several missiles aimed at Islamic State fighters in Syria.
The missile strikes were in response to attacks on Tehran on June 7. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had vowed revenge for the deadly attacks. The missile strikes are also the first time Iran has fired missiles at another country in 30 years.
According to Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Sepah News, several “ground-to-ground, mid-range missiles” were fired from bases in western Iran and targeted Takfiri forces in the Deir Ezzor region in eastern Syria.
Takfiri is Iran’s Revolutionary Guard’s term for ISIS.
Lt. Col (ret) Rick Francona, a military analyst for CNN, said Iran’s missile strike is a “real escalation.”
"The selection of targets is interesting. They say they are firing at the same people who planned the attacks in Tehran but it also bolsters the Syrian army effort right now,” he said.
Some 12 people were killed when six attackerssimultaneously mounted gun and suicide bomb assaults on Tehran’s Parliament building and the tomb of Iran’s founder.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say that Saudi Arabi supported ISIS in the twin attacks.
Iran, which is Shiite majority, and Saudi Arabie, which is Sunni-majoriy, have long been sectarian rivals.
Photo courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com
Publication date: June 19, 2017
