Iranian Ambassador Hossein Akbari condemned Israel and said as many as seven people were killed, but first responders were still searching for any other bodies under the rubble

The Iranian Arabic-language state television Al-Alam and pan-Arab television station Al-Mayadeen, which has reporters in Syria, said the strike killed Iranian military adviser Gen. Ali Reza Zahdi, who led the elite Quds Force in Lebanon and Syria until 2016

In comments to the media after meeting Akbari, Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said `several` people were killed

Iranian state television said the Iranian ambassador`s residence was in the consular building, which stood next to the embassy

The Israeli military did not immediately comment. Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets in government-controlled parts of Syria in recent years

Such airstrikes have escalated in recent months against the backdrop of Israel`s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip and ongoing clashes between Israel`s military and Hezbollah on the Lebanon-Israel border

Though it rarely acknowledges its actions in Syria, Israel has said it targets bases of Iran-allied militant groups such as Lebanon`s Hezbollah, which has sent thousands of fighters to support Syrian President Bashar Assad`s forces