Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses. Share this article with your facebook friends

 

Iranian General, 6 Hizbullah Fighters Killed in an Israeli Air Strike on their Convoy, in the Syrian City of Al-Qunaytira

January 19, 2015 

Editor's Note:

The name of the Syrian city of Al-Qunaytira has been in the news today, as a result of the Israeli air raid on the city, which resulted in killing an Iranian General and six of Hizbullah fighters.

The name of the city was written in the media as Quneitra, which is an incorrect spelling and pronunciation, produced by incompetent government officials and sloppy journalists.

The correct Arabic spelling and pronunciation of this Syrian city is "Al-Qunaytira," which means the small pillar, as the normal pillar is referred to as "Al-Qintara."

Six Hizbullah fighters were killed in the Israeli air strike on their convoy, in the Syrian city of Quneitra, January 18, 2015	Iranian General Mohammad Al-Hadi was killed in an Israeli air raid on a Hizbullah fighters' convoy in  the Syrian city of Quneitra, January 18, 2015

Israeli air strike on a Hizbullah fighters' convoy in  the Syrian city of Quneitra, January 18, 2015	A view of the Syrian city of Quneitra

Iranian general, son of ex-Hezbollah leader, killed in Israeli airstrike in Syria

Russia TV, January 19, 2015 13:11

The confirmation came in a statement published Monday on the website of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

At the time of the attack, General Al-Hadi was on an assignment, giving "crucial advice" to the Syrian armed forces.

Iranain Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told local media that the helicopter attack was "an act of terror," and issued a strong condemnation, Press TV reported.

According to the media report, the attack on Sunday, near the city of Al-Qunaytira, killed six Iranian Revolutionary Guard officials.

Among them was a son of an ex-Hezbollah commander.

Local media say that their car was en route from Lebanon to Syria when it was targeted by an Israeli helicopter.

"Following the Zionist aggressions against the resistance in Syria, General Mohammad Al-Hadi, a former commander of the Sarollah Brigade of the Revolutionary Guard, was martyred along with Jihad Moughniyah and three others in the same car," the Dana news website said, referring to the son of Hezbollah's late military leader, Imad Moughniyah.

Hezbollah officials on Monday vowed retaliation after the attack, various media in the region are reporting.

A source close to Hezbollah told Lebanese daily Al-Safir that they “will not rush to decide what steps should be taken” in response to the assassination of Jihad Moughniyah.

Newspaper Al-Akhbar wrote Monday that the group "will launch between 4,000-5,000 rockets at Israel and will destroy hundreds of targets per day."

"The enemy's leadership made a decision to carry out a crime," the paper continued, adding that "this is more proof that Israel is involved in the fighting in Syria. This is work that is not based on emotion or petty score-settling."

Hezbollah has been allied with Iran in Syria, where it helped President Bashar Assad fight an Islamist insurgency.

Mughniyeh, 25, was the commander of a Hezbollah unit fighting Islamic State and other jihadist groups.

Mughniyeh's father was killed in a 2008 car bombing in Lebanon, which was widely suspected to be the work of Israel.

Israel strikes Hezbollah convoy in Syria

Russia TV, January 18, 2015 22:15

Six Lebanese Hezbollah fighters, including a senior commander, have reportedly been killed in an Israeli airstrike near the occupied Golan Heights. The organization has promised retaliation, saying that Israel has crossed all lines with this attack.

Mohamad Issa – chief of Hezbollah operations in Syria – was among those killed in the convoy attack, along with Jihad Moughniyah – son of the late Hezbollah leader Imad Moughniyah – according to Al Arabiya. The attack occurred in Quneitra, near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Neither Israeli authorities nor the IDF have officially commented on the operation. However, a security source confirmed to Reuters on condition of anonymity that it was “an Israeli helicopter that carried out the attack.” The helicopter fired rockets at the convoy, while two Israel reconnaissance planes were also reportedly seen flying over the area.

Another source told Israel's Ynet news that the strike targeted "terrorists who intended to attack Israel" close to the ceasefire line that separates the Syrian part of Golan Heights from the Israeli-occupied sector. No further details were provided.

According to a statement on Lebanon’s Al-Manar news channel, the attack suggests that Israel “has gone crazy because of Hezbollah’s growing capabilities and it could lead to a costly adventure that will put the Middle East at stake."

The attack follows Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s statement that frequent Israeli strikes in Syria are a major aggression against the whole ‘axis of resistance,' not just Damascus, and that the group has the right to retaliate.

Iran Condemns Israel's Terrorist Attack on Golan Heights

Farsm Mon Jan 19, 2015 3:45

TEHRAN (FNA)-

The Iranian foreign ministry in a statement on Monday strongly condemned the Israeli airstrike on Syria's Golan Heights, which claimed the lives of several Hezbollah members.

On Sunday, a military helicopter gunship operated by the Israeli army fired two missiles into Amal Farms in the strategic Southwestern city of Quneitra, situated some 60 kilometers (37 miles) South of the capital, Damascus.

"This incident once again showed that Syria is part of the confrontation with the Zionist regime and Hezbollah is still standing firmly against Israel's occupation and foreigners' interference in the affairs of the regional nations …," the Iranian foreign ministry said in its statement.

The foreign ministry extended condolences to Hezbollah leader, Seyed Hassan Nasrallah, and the bereaved families of those killed in the attack.

Following the attack on Sunday, Hezbollah announced that several of its fighters were killed in the airstrike.

"A group of Hezbollah mujahedeen were martyred in a Zionist rocket attack in Quneitra, and their names will be revealed later," said a message on Hezbollah's al-Manar news channel, adding that they were killed during a field reconnaissance mission in the Amal Farms village of Quneitra.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah officials said Jihad Mughniyeh, the son of Hezbollah's slain top military commander, Imad Mughniyeh, and a field commander were killed in the attack.

Hezbollah Announces Names of Martyrs Killed in Israeli Raid in Quneitra

Source: Hezbollah Media Relations

 19-01-2015 - 10:40

Hezbollah announced on Sunday the martyrdom of six fighters in an Israeli air attack in the Syrian province of Quneitra.

  An Israeli helicopter fired missiles on Sunday at a group of Hezbollah fighters who were inspecting the town of Mazraat al-Amal in the Syrian Quneitra region, the statement said. The attack resulted in the martyrdom of six Hezbollah members whose names were announced in the following statement:

“In the name of Allah The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful”

“And reckon not those who are killed in Allah's way as dead; nay, they are alive (and) are provided sustenance from their Lord”                   

With full faith and pride, the Islamic resistance in Lebanon announces to its loyal and proud people each of the following reverent martyrs’:

1- Martyr Leader Mohammad Ahmad Issa, “Abu Issa”  Born in Arabsalim in 1972 / Married / Has four children

 2- Martyr Jihad Imad Mughniyeh “Jawad”, son of Martyr Leader Hajj Imad Mughniyeh who was assassinated in Syria in 1998  Born in Teirdiba in 1989 / Single

 3- Martyr Abbas Ibrahim Hijazi, “Sayyed Abbas”  Born in Al-Ghaziyeh in 1979 / Married / has 4 children

 4- Martyr Mohammad Ali Hasan Abu Hasan “Kazim”  Born in Ain Qana in 1985 / single

 5- Martyr Ghazi Ali Daoui “Daniel”  Born in Al-Khiam in 1988 / Married / one child

 6-Martyr Ali Hassan Ibrahim “Ihab”  Born in Yohmor in 1993 / single

May Allah have mercy on our infallible martyrs and grant them the highest of paradise. 

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Israeli strike in Syria kills senior Hezbollah figures

By Mariam Karouny and Laila Bassam

BEIRUT Sun Jan 18, 2015 5:01pm EST

(Reuters) -

An Israeli helicopter strike in Syria killed a commander from Lebanon's Hezbollah and the son of the group's late military leader Imad Moughniyah, Hezbollah said, in a major blow that could lead to reprisal attacks.

The strike hit a convoy carrying Jihad Moughniyah and commander Mohamad Issa, known as Abu Issa, in the province of Quneitra, near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, killing six Hezbollah members in all, a statement from the group said.

It comes just days after Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said frequent Israeli strikes in Syria were a major aggression, that the group was stronger than before and that Syria and its allies had the right to respond.      

Shi'ite Muslim Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and fought a 34-day war with Israel in 2006, has been fighting alongside President Bashar al-Assad's forces in Syria's four-year war.

Iran's semi-official Tabnak news site said several of its Revolutionary Guards had also been killed in the attack, without giving further details. State-run Iranian television said the identity of the "martyrs" could not be confirmed.

The Hezbollah-run al-Manar news channel said the Israeli attack suggested "the enemy has gone crazy because of Hezbollah's growing capabilities and it could lead to a costly adventure that will put the Middle East at stake".

Israel's military declined to comment, but an Israeli security source confirmed to Reuters that the Israeli military had carried out the attack.

It was not immediately clear what role Jihad Moughniyah, in his 20s, was playing in the fighting in Syria.

Nabil Boumonsef, a columnist at the Lebanon newspaper an-Nahar, said he believed the strike was a direct response to Nasrallah's speech and could lead to a backlash.

Al-Manar television said earlier that a number of fighters were killed when they were checking an area in Quneitra when their convoy came under Israeli missile attack.

Quneitra has seen heavy fighting between forces loyal to Assad and rebels including fighters linked to al Qaeda. Syrian state television said six people were killed in the attack and a child was wounded, without giving further details.

Israel has struck Syria several times since the start of the war, mostly destroying weaponry such as missiles that Israeli officials said were destined for Hezbollah, Israel's long-time foe in neighboring Lebanon.

Syria said last month that Israeli jets had bombed areas near Damascus international airport and in the town of Dimas, near the border with Lebanon.

Nasrallah said on Thursday "the frequent attacks on different sites in Syria is a major breach. We consider (those) hostilities (to be) against all the resistance axis."

"(Retaliation) is an open issue," he added.

Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and some Palestinian factions consider themselves an "axis of resistance" against Israel.

(Additional reporting by Dan Williams and Allyn Fisher-Ilan in Jerusalem; Writing by Oliver Holmes and Mariam Karouny in Beirut; Editing by Alison Williams)

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