Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has publicly confirmed that a former Sydney man was killed in a recent drone strike on the Syrian capital of Damascus, an attack widely attributed to Israel.
The individual, who was reportedly a member of the Islamic State group, died when a vehicle was struck in a neighbourhood of Damascus on Monday. While not officially claiming responsibility, Israel is widely believed to have carried out the operation.
In a press conference on Thursday, Mr Albanese stated, "I can confirm that an Australian was killed in that strike." He further clarified that the man had been "engaged in terrorism" and had been "excluded from Australia by the former government."
The Prime Minister's confirmation follows reports from Iranian media, which identified the victim as Australian citizen Yasser Ahmad and stated he was a high-ranking member of ISIS. The strike also resulted in the death of another individual.
Links to Notorious Terrorist
Initial reports from Syrian and Iranian state media had suggested the victim was Melbourne-born Neil Prakash, one of Australia's most infamous ISIS fighters and recruiters. However, these reports were later corrected.
Mr Prakash, who was once considered the country's most wanted terrorist, is currently imprisoned in Turkey. He was stripped of his Australian citizenship in a highly controversial decision by the previous government.
Regional Tensions Soar
The targeted assassination has ignited fresh tensions in the volatile region. Iran has publicly vowed to retaliate against Israel for the strike on a Damascus building, which it claims was a consular annex.
This incident marks a significant and dangerous escalation in the long-running shadow war between the two arch-foes, threatening to draw the Middle East into a broader conflict. The international community is watching with apprehension as threats of retaliation loom.
