March 17, 2022 marks 30 years since the deadliest terrorist attack on an Israeli diplomatic mission, when a suicide bomber drove an explosives-laden truck into the Israeli Embassy in Argentina and detonated.
The incident resulted in the deaths of 30 people, including the suicide bomber, along with four Israelis and 25 Argentines, including a Catholic priest and many children. A further 242 people were injured in the attack.
The embassy was destroyed in the attack, along with a nearby Catholic church and a school.
Many have accused Iran of having known of the attack in advance, with the NSA having later uncovered evidence of this, as well as the involvement of Hezbollah agent Imad Mughniyah, who would later be charged by Argentina for his involvement. To this day, Israel still accuses Hezbollah of being behind the attack and Iran of financing it.
Mañana conmemoramos 30 años del atentado a la embajada de Israel en Argentina - un atentado perpetrado por la organización terrorista #Hezbollah, apoyada, dirigida y financiada por #Irán. ¿Qué es el Hezbollah? pic.twitter.com/mDcYwBaQvq
— Israel en Español (@IsraelinSpanish) March 16, 2022
The bombing also resulted in straining diplomatic ties between Argentina and Iran, with Buenos aires expelling seven Iranian diplomats.
Full responsibility was claimed by the Islamic Jihad Organization, a Shi'ite Islamist militia that was linked to Iran and Hezbollah and that carried out numerous terrorist attacks, assassinations and kidnappings in the 1980s. This included a spat of deadly attacks in 1983, such as attacking the US Embassy in Lebanon.
Regarding the attack in Argentina, they claimed it was retaliation for the death of Hezbollah leader Sayed Abbas al-Musawi, who Israel assassinated in February of the same year.
The embassy bombing remains the deadliest attack on an Israeli diplomatic mission. It was also the deadliest terrorist attack in Argentine history until the AMIA bombing two years later, which directly targeted the Jewish community in Buenos Aires and killed 86 people.
30 años del atentado contra la Embajada de Israel en Argentina.Los esperamos este jueves para ser parte del acto de conmemoración:17 de Marzo - 14:30 hs.-ACTO CENTRAL-Arroyo y SuipachaLas huellas del terrorismo siguen sobre nosotros.#Huellasdelterrorismo pic.twitter.com/d2AHKSsCEl
— Israel en Argentina (@IsraelArgentina) March 16, 2022
The Israeli Embassy in Argentina on Thursday is set to hold a ceremony commemorating 30 years since the incident.
Argentine and Israeli officials are set to address the ceremony, including Argentine Justice Minister Martin Soria, Israeli Justice Minister Gideon Sa'ar and Israeli Ambassador to Argentina Galit Ronen, according to i24.