Era of strategic patience ‘over’; Israel’s war between wars defeated: Raeisi’s deputy

Iran’s retaliatory strikes on the Israeli-occupied territories signify the end of the “strategic patience” era, according to the Iranian president’s deputy chief of staff for political affairs.

Mohammad Jamshidi made the remark in a post on his X account on Sunday after Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) launched extensive missile and drone strikes on the occupied territories in response to Israel’s deadly offensive on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital of Damascus on April 1.

The retaliatory strikes, dubbed Operation True Promise, inflicted damage on Israeli military bases across the occupied territories, the extent of which is yet to be specified. 

“Iran’s victorious Operation True Promise means that the era of strategic patience is over and the Israeli strategy of war between wars has been defeated,” Jamshidi wrote.

He said the operation changed the equation.

The official warned Israel of Iran’s “direct and punishing response” if the regime targets Iranian personnel and assets.

The chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Major General Mohammad Baqeri, said on Sunday that Iran hit a large intelligence base in the occupied lands and Israel’s Nevatim Airbase, from where an F-35 jet took off to target Iran’s diplomatic premises in Damascus.

He added that the strikes “reached its goals” as the regime’s so-called Iron Dome system failed to deal with the Iranian missiles and drones properly.

The Israeli attack on Iran’s diplomatic facilities in Syria resulted in the martyrdom of Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a commander of the IRGC’s Quds Force, his deputy, General Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, and five of their accompanying officers.

The terrorist attack drew categorical condemnation from senior Iranian political and military leaders, who vowed “definitive revenge.”