BEIRUT: Iran has reduced its military presence in Syria after a series of strikes blamed on Israel, Hezbollah and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Wednesday, AFP reported.
Iran has provided military support to Syrian government forces but a series of strikes, widely attributed to Israel, targeting its commanders in recent months has compelled Iran to reassess its presence in the region.
A source close to Hezbollah said that Iran has withdrawn its forces from southern Syria, including Quneitra and Daraa provinces, which border the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. Despite this reduction, Iran maintains a presence in other parts of the country.
The most recent Israeli strike on April 1, which targeted the Iranian consulate in Damascus and resulted in the deaths of seven Revolutionary Guards, including two generals, marked a turning point. In response, Iran launched its first-ever direct missile and drone attack against Israel on April 13-14, escalating tensions in the region.
However, Iran had already initiated a drawdown of its forces following a January 20 strike that killed five Revolutionary Guards, including the intelligence chief and his deputy.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Iranian forces have withdrawn from Damascus and southern Syria, with Lebanese and Iraqi fighters taking their place.
Despite Iran’s repeated claims that it only has officers in Syria to provide military advice and training, the Observatory estimates that as many as 3,000 Iranian military personnel are present in the country, supported by tens of thousands of fighters from Lebanon, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
The departure of many Iranian advisers in recent months, especially after a March strike that killed a Revolutionary Guard and two others, has been noted. However, some advisers remain in Aleppo province in the north and Deir Ezzor province in the east.
