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Iran welcomed Hamas’ offensive: “We support this proud operation ‘Al-Aqsa Flood’ and are sure that the resistance front also supports it,” said Revolutionary Guard General Yahya Rahim Safavi, quoted by the ISNA agency. In Iran, the “resistance front” refers to Palestinian, Lebanese, Syrian and other movements that are close to Iran and oppose Israel, the arch-enemy of the Islamic Republic.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani also welcomed the Hamas offensive in an interview with ISNA. “The resistance has achieved spectacular victories in this operation so far,” he added, calling it “a brilliant moment in the history of the struggle” of the Palestinians against Israel. The Hamas offensive “opened a new page in the history of resistance and armed operations against the occupiers in the occupied territories,” Mr. Kanani said.
But Tehran has still not responded to the shooting, which was perpetrated by Hezbollah – a pro-Iranian Lebanese movement.
According to the White House, it is “too early to say” whether Iran is “directly involved” in Hamas’ offensive against Israel, and the United States has “no indications” to that effect, a senior White House official said Haus said Saturday. However, he added that there is “no doubt” that Hamas is “financed, equipped and armed” by the Tehran regime, among others.
Moscow was concerned about a “sudden deterioration of the situation in the zone of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” “We call on the Palestinian and Israeli sides to an immediate ceasefire, renunciation of violence and necessary restraint,” Russian diplomatic spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and Kremlin envoy for the Middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov said he was in “contact” with all parties concerned.
However, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russia is “already exploiting Hamas attacks in Israel and will likely continue to do so to reduce U.S. and Western support and attention to Ukraine.” The Vice President of the Russian Security Council said: Dmitry Medvedevsaid the United States and its allies should have been busy working on the “Palestinian-Israeli settlement” instead of “interfering” in Russia’s affairs and providing military aid to Ukraine.