Khamenei Praises Hamas Attack on Israel, Denies Involvement, and Warns of Greater Anger to Come

 In a recent televised speech, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's top authority, denied any involvement in the militant Hamas group's attack on Israel over the weekend. However, he praised the attack and described it as Israel's "irreparable military and intelligence defeat." Khamenei also blamed the Israeli regime for the destruction caused by the attack, stating that it was their own actions that led to this disaster. Israel has long accused Iran of supplying arms to Hamas and stoking violence in the region. Tehran, on the other hand, claims to provide moral and financial support to the group, which controls the Gaza Strip and rejects Israel's right to exist.

Supporting the Palestinian cause has been an essential part of Iran's foreign policy since the 1979 revolution, as it positions itself as a leader in the Muslim world. The United States, however, asserted that Iran was complicit in Hamas' assault on Israel but admitted to having no intelligence or evidence to support this claim. The top U.S. general also warned Iran against getting involved in the crisis, expressing a desire to prevent the conflict from escalating further.

As Israel reinstated control over the Gaza border and planted mines where militants had toppled the barrier during their attack, Khamenei warned that any attack on Gaza would result in a much greater outpouring of anger. He criticized the Israeli regime for trying to portray itself as a victim and escalating its crimes further, calling it a misguided calculation that would only lead to more disaster. According to Israeli TV channels, the death toll from the Hamas attack has risen to 900, with at least 2,600 people injured. Gaza's Health Ministry reported at least 687 Palestinians killed and 3,726 wounded in Israeli air strikes on the blockaded enclave since the weekend.