Iran Guards Commander Killed in Mysterious Circumstances in Syria

Sayed Ahmed Qureshi (R) with slain IRGC Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani in the foreground.
Sayed Ahmed Qureshi (R) with slain IRGC Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani in the foreground.
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Iran Guards Commander Killed in Mysterious Circumstances in Syria

Sayed Ahmed Qureshi (R) with slain IRGC Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani in the foreground.
Sayed Ahmed Qureshi (R) with slain IRGC Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani in the foreground.

A senior Iranian militia commander, who has been operating in Syria since 2013, was killed in recent days in still uncertain circumstances.

“A prominent Iranian Revolutionary Guards leader has been killed in recent hours on Syrian soil, and he is one of the most prominent leaders of the Liwa Fatemiyoun militia,” the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor, reported.

The Observatory identified him as Sayed Ahmed Qureshi.

Originally from the village of Baraghan, located north of Karaj in Iran, Qureshi previously served in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij force.

He had served in the Iranian-backed militia Liwa Fatemiyoun in Syria since 2013 and fought in several operations with slain IRGC Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani.

“Uncertainty still surrounds the circumstances of Qureshi’s killing,” said the Observatory, adding that he could have died from injuries sustained in a recent Israeli airstrike on Syria’s Homs countryside.

Earlier this month, the Observatory had documented the killing of another Iranian leader in a possible ISIS landmine explosion in Homs’ eastern countryside.

In other news, 51 regime officers and loyalist fighters were killed on Friday night in an ambush, the largest of its kind, launched by ISIS on several positions in the central and eastern Badia (desert) regions in Syria.

Activists said ISIS militants simultaneously attacked four military positions of the regime forces and loyalists.



Hezbollah Reiterates Its Refusal to Enter the War

Speaker Nabih Berri (dpa) 
Speaker Nabih Berri (dpa) 
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Hezbollah Reiterates Its Refusal to Enter the War

Speaker Nabih Berri (dpa) 
Speaker Nabih Berri (dpa) 

The US military intervention alongside Israel in its war against Iran has sparked growing concern in Lebanon, mixing fear with uncertainty about what lies ahead, especially as the region awaits Iran’s response.

Lebanese citizens are questioning whether Iran will retaliate solely against Israel or also strike nearby US military bases. Some speculate that Iran might avoid targeting American bases in neighboring countries that have shown solidarity with Tehran, as maintaining these relationships could help Iran push for an end to the war and a return to US-Iranian dialogue.

Despite mounting regional tension, Hezbollah continues to avoid direct military involvement. This position aligns with the recent statements of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who affirmed that Hezbollah will not intervene.

While some interpreted Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem’s pledge of “full support to Iran in any way we deem appropriate” as a divergence, sources say the party is fully aligned with Berri.

Berri maintains that dialogue between Washington and Tehran is the only path to halting the conflict and addressing Iran’s nuclear file. His stance is echoed by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and other political actors.

US envoy Thomas Barrack, currently stationed in Türkiye, reportedly discussed these matters with Lebanese officials and promised to return in three weeks, hoping for progress toward a ceasefire and the implementation of UN Resolution 1701, which calls for Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon and for weapons to be under the exclusive control of the Lebanese state.

According to sources, the US escalation has prompted behind-the-scenes consultations between Hezbollah, the Amal Movement, and Lebanese state officials. These talks aim to evaluate the situation and ensure Lebanon remains out of the regional conflict.

Hezbollah remains firm in its decision not to engage militarily, refusing to offer Israel a pretext to expand the war into Lebanon. Despite internal solidarity with Iran, Hezbollah is keenly aware that joining the war would not shift the military balance, which now involves advanced weaponry beyond its capabilities.

The sources added that the party is also mindful of Lebanese Shiite public sentiment, which favors stability over another devastating war. Memories of past conflicts, including the toll of Hezbollah’s support for Gaza, linger. Fears of displacement and economic ruin are driving many in Beirut’s southern suburbs to sell their homes, often at steep losses.