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Second Iranian Revolutionary Guards adviser dies in Israeli attack in Syria

The slain officer was injured in last week's air strike in Syria's capital, which had killed another adviser of the Iranian force.

Reuters Archive

Iran says its officers serve in an advisory role in Syria at the invitation of Damascus.

A military adviser to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps has died of injuries sustained during last week's Israeli air strike near Syria's capital, the Iranian semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

He is the second officer of the elite force to be killed in Friday's air strike, the sixth attack by Israel in Syria in March, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Milad Haydari, another Revolutionary Guards military adviser and officer, was reported killed on Friday.

"Meqdad Meqdani was wounded during the Zionist attack on Friday dawn and was martyred," Mehr news said on Sunday.

Israel has for years carried out attacks against what it has described as Iran-linked targets in Syria, where Tehran's influence has grown since it began supporting Syrian regime leader Assad in the civil war that started in 2011.

Iran says its officers serve in an advisory role in Syria at the invitation of Damascus. Dozens of Revolutionary Guards members, including senior officers, have been killed in Syria during the war.

The Revolutionary Guards have vowed to respond to the Israeli attack.

Serial strikes

Israel has conducted many air strikes in Syria this month.

While Israel rarely comments on the strikes it carries out on Syria, it has repeatedly said it will not allow its arch-foe Iran to extend its footprint in the war-torn country.

Syria denies Western and Israeli allegations that Iran, whose top military officials frequently visit Syria, has an extensive military presence in the country.

Some 500,000 people have been killed, and around half of Syria's pre-war population has been forced from their homes.