The suicide bomber who attacked a crisis meeting of Bashar al-Assad's security officials on Wednesday did more than just kill and wound some of Syria's most senior figures.

The suicide bomber：自杀式炸弹袭击者

Bashar al-Assad's security officials：叙利亚安全部门官员

He blew apart the inner circle of trusted kin that the Syrian president has relied on to control every aspect of the state he inherited from his father, and was counting on to crush the 16-month-old rebellion against him.

trusted kin：亲信

inherited from：从……继承

counting on：依靠

The bomber, apparently an insider and possibly a trusted bodyguard, struck at the daily meeting attended by ministers and senior security officials as battles raged inside Damascus, within sight of the nearby presidential palace.

within sight of：在能看得见……的地方

Three of Assad's top commanders - Defense Minister Daoud Rajha, Assad's brother-in-law Assef Shawkat and Hassan Turkmani, a top military official - were killed in the blast.

Defense Minister：国防部长

brother-in-law：姐夫

a top military official：军方高官

Shawkat in particular was a pillar of Assad's rule. Intelligence chief Hisham Bekhtyar and Interior Minister Mohammad Ibrahim al-Shaar were also wounded.

a pillar of：……的支柱

Intelligence chief：情报负责人

Interior Minister：内政部长

On the ground, the security forces reaction was swift. As Damascus vowed to retaliate for the bomb attack, its forces hit rebel positions across the capital. Analysts said the response heralds more bloodshed to come.

On the ground：当场

the security forces：安全部队

vowed to retaliate for：发誓要为……报仇

rebel positions：叛军

"It is a serious blow to Assad. It will weaken Bashar but it is not necessarily good news for the opposition too," said Patrick Seale, the biographer of Assad's father, Hafez. "It is likely to make the regime much more violent, ruthless and brutal. It will become more savage." He said the chances of a negotiated transition of power were now even more remote.

a serious blow to：对……的严重打击

In response, Assad has taken charge of a military crisis unit and takes all the daily decisions, from the deployment of army units to tasks assigned to the security services, as well as mobilization of the Alawite Shabbiha, the militia accused of a series of massacres in the past two months.

In response：作为回应

take charge of：接管

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