TEHRAN – A top Iranian commander has hailed the Hamas offensive against Israel which in his words has caused the regime to significantly lose power over the region.

During a ceremony on Tuesday in the northern province of Gilan, the second-in-command of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps said the latest Palestinian movement shattered the regime’s power in the region. “The al-Aqsa Storm Operation was a historic movement by Hamas and Islamic Jihad that shattered the Zionist regime's power in the region.

This is a blessing that has arisen from the pure blood of those who sacrificed their lives during the Iran-Iraq war and the Islamic Revolution,” Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi said while giving a speech.

Fadavi added that the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1978 gave a sense of hope to Palestinian people seeking to create a resistance front against the Israeli regime. He urged Palestinian fighters to pay attention to the spirit of sacrifice and martyrdom and be ready to give up everything to help the oppressed people. 

The commander also touched on the 2022 September riots that occurred in Iran, saying the U.S. had made great efforts to wreak havoc inside the country.
“In the riots of last year, America launched its heaviest war against the Iranian people, but the hearts of the Iranian people are with God and the Islamic Revolution, the result of which was the enthusiastic presence of the people who took to the streets to voice their revolt with the destabilizing riots”.

Also on Tuesday, another senior commander of the IRGC applauded the al-Aqsa Storm Operation saying it caused Israel to drop its patina of invincibility.

“After the operation, the illusion of the invincibility of the Zionist regime and its false power became evident to the whole world,” said General Mohammad Reza Naqdi, the deputy commander of the IRGC, adding that the latest victories by the resistance forces will facilitate the shaping of a new world order. 

‘In a matter of only a few hours, the vulnerable nature of Israel was fully disclosed’ 

“The military power and capabilities of this regime is only limited to the killing of innocent and defenseless people. Today, Israel's weakness and impotence in dealing with Palestinian fighters have become evident. It was revealed how dependent the regime is on the arrogant powers. In a matter of only a few hours the vulnerable nature of the regime was fully disclosed”. 

He also warned the U.S. that it should snap out of its illusion-based thoughts and try to acknowledge the realities of today’s world. “Americans are lagging behind in global developments and they need to know that the world and the thoughts of the nations are changing. They need to understand today's world, update themselves, and be where they should be. If they continue to live in delusions of dominance and power, they will not reach anything and will continue to face more defeats and resolute responses. The people of the world have awakened and the Palestinian fighters have tasted the sweetness of victory. Therefore, the continuation of the massacre of innocent and defenseless nations will not yield any result or achievement for the world superpowers,” added Naqdi, the former Basij commander.

“Catastrophic defeat”

The political adviser to the secretary-general of the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement has also said the Al-Aqsa Storm Operation clearly demonstrated the Zionist regime’s serious weakness.

Speaking to Tasnim in Beirut, Sayyid Hussein al-Musawi said the military operation that the Palestinian forces in Gaza have launched against Israel laid bare the Zionist regime’s weakness and the “catastrophic defeat” of its army in intelligence activities.

The Israeli army that claimed to be invincible has been humiliated in various military confrontations, such as the battle for the liberation of Lebanon, the 33-Day War in 2006, and the Al-Aqsa Storm Operation, he explained.

Musawi noted that the most recent operation, launched with the purpose of releasing Palestinian prisoners, underlined that the Islamic Ummah is being assisted by God Almighty and will never surrender.

“As Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah has said, Israel is weaker than the spider’s web. Today, we can clearly observe the correctness of his words,” the advisor stated.

Musawi finally expressed hope that Storm Operation would be a prelude to the eventual victory over Israel, saying the operation proved that normalization of ties with the Zionist regime is tantamount to a bet on a losing horse.

On October 7, the Palestinian fighters launched a hybrid surprise operation, dubbed Al-Aqsa Storm, outside Gaza after Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in recent days and a record number of Palestinians were killed by Israel in recent months.

The Zionist regime has responded by pounding the besieged Gaza Strip after formally declaring war against the Palestinian Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups.

MHA/PA