Iran says won't let Israel defeat Hamas, stops short of promising to enter conflict
Iran will not allow Israel to defeat Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the head of Iran’s expeditionary Quds Force wrote in a message to the commander of the Hamas military wing.
However, Gen. Esmail Qaani stopped short of saying that Tehran will join the battle in order to rescue Hamas.
In six weeks since the war was triggered by Hamas’ deadly Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, Israel has largely taken control of the northern Gaza Strip, seen as the Hamas power base, while pushing most of the civilian population to the southern part. Israel has vowed to keep fighting until Hamas is crushed.
Qaani’s letter was addressed to Mohammed Deif, the shadowy leader of the Hamas military wing in Gaza and was published by Iran’s state news agency IRNA. He said Iran, the main Hamas sponsor, and its allies “will carry out all our duties in this historic battle” and will not allow Israel to “reach its dirty goals” of defeating Hamas.
Iran-backed groups in the region, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthi rebels, have attacked Israel with drones and missiles in recent weeks. Iraq’s militants have claimed responsibility for dozens of attacks against bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria.
Qaani praised the Oct. 7 attack, saying it showed Israel was “weaker than a spider’s web.” He said Israel retaliated with an “unprecedented brutal war crimes” against civilians.
Source: Associated Press
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