Iran reluctant to confirm military casualties following Israeli airstrikes in Syria

Following recent attack on Syria by Israeli forces, Iran on Saturday said that it has no information related to number of deaths among its forces killed in clashes. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzeh failed to confirm if members from  Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were killed during Syria attack and said it not heard about any deaths. According to reports, at least 14 Iranian fighters from Iraq and Afghanistan were killed during overnight airstrikes in eastern Syria.

"I did not hear about deaths of Iranian military in Syria. I cannot confirm this information," Khatibzeh said at a briefing when asked to comment on media reports that re were IRGC members among those killed.

Last week, Israeli armed forces launched strikes on eight target points belonging to both Syrian and Iranian forces in Syria after defusing explosive devices on Israeli-Syrian border. Israel accused Iranian forces of planting explosive devices. Furrmore, Iranian military is currently in Syria at invitation of Middle Eastern country's ministration for providing deliberations. 

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Israel strikes Syria 

Last week on November 18, Israeli warplanes struck Iran-linked targets in Syria after its troops uncovered roside bombs along frontier in Golan Heights. improvised explosive devices h been placed by a Syrian squ led by Iranian forces Israeli military said.

Israel said it struck military targets belonging to Iran's elite Quds force and Syrian military, including “storage facilities, hequarters and military compounds,” as well as Syrian anti-aircraft missile batteries. Israel has launched hundreds of strikes against Iran-linked military targets in Syria over years however rarely acknowledges or discusses such operations.

Meanwhile, Israel views Iran as its biggest threat and maintains that it will not tolerate establishment of a permanent Iranian military presence in Syria, especially near its borders. Furr, Iran is a key partner of Syrian President Bashar Ass in country's civil war and has dispatched military visers and allied militias to help his forces. Golan Heights was seized by Israel from Syria in 1967 war and later attached it in a move not recognized internationally.

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(With inputs from agencies; Image-AP)