TEHRAN - A top military adviser to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution has voiced Iran’s support for the Hamas resistance group’s military operation inside the occupied territories.

Speaking at the 6th International Conference of Solidarity with Palestinian Youth, Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi hailed the operation as “glorious”.

“We declare our support for this operation and we are confident that the Resistance Front also supports this move,” Rahim Safavi said, adding that Iran will stand alongside the Palestinian resistance “until the liberation of Palestine and al-Quds”.

Safavi also condemned the international community for its silence towards Israeli atrocities, explaining that such inaction has allowed Israel to carry out an organized massacre of Palestinian children.

“The latest statistics show that so far 37 Palestinian children have been slaughtered by Israeli soldiers. 2023 is said to be the bloodiest year for Palestinian children in the past year. These children have been martyred by direct bullets from Zionists, and on the other hand, a large number of Palestinian children and youth have been imprisoned and sentenced to heavy punishments”.

Hamas began the biggest Palestinian operation against Israel on Saturday morning. The surprise offensive began with the firing of a barrage of rockets which have reportedly hit positions in Tel Aviv, Sde Boker, Arad, Dimona, and al-Quds. According to Hamas’ armed wing more than 7000 rockets were fired from the besieged Gaza Strip on Saturday. 

Several Palestinian fighters have also managed to infiltrate the occupied territories. Hamas’s al-Qassam Brigades has announced capturing a number of Israeli soldiers and weaponry after its fighters entered occupied Palestine by land, sea and air using paragliders.
"This storm which started from Gaza will spread to the West Bank and outside the country and all the places where our people and nation are present," Hamas Politburo Chief Ismail Haniyeh said, adding that the latest Palestinian operation has happened in response to Israel’s desecration of the Al-Aqsa mosque. 

The Islamic Jihad resistance movement also announced on Saturday that it has joined the operation and called on Palestinians everywhere to also join the fight against the regime. 

Israeli medics have so far reported the death of 22 people and injury of almost 600 others. 

Israel’s prime minister reacted to the attacks by saying Israel is “at war”. He has also responded by ordering the bombardment of several locations in Gaza City. At least one Palestinian was reported killed in the first wave of Israeli air attacks

MHA/PA