Srinagar, April 3 -- Seven Iranian officials including two elite military commanders were killedin an airstrike on an Iranian embassy complexin Damascus on Monday that was widely believed to be Israel's doing.

Experts say the attack is the biggest of its kind on Iranian targets since then-US President Donald Trump ordered the assassination ofQassem Soleimani, a top Iranian commander, in Baghdad in 2020. Iran may now be compelled to respond despite its unwillingness to enter war with Israel and the United States.

Israel has been attacking Iranian and Iranian-allied interests in Syria for years as part of its "campaign between wars" strategy to deter and destroy emerging threats to its security. And it has increased such attacks since Oct...