Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's top military adviser said Tehran supported the attacks by Hamas against Israel and would continue to back the Islamist fighters “until the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem”, the media reported.
The remarks by Yahya Rahim Safavi, a former commander of the country’s Revolutionary Guards, will only fan suspicion that Tehran played a direct role in supporting its traditional ally, Hamas, in the well-planned attacks, Politico reported.
Interventions by Rahim Safavi and other senior Iranian policymakers will also be seen by Iran’s long-running regional rival Saudi Arabia as a threatening signal that Tehran is willing to stir up regional conflict to prevent Riyadh from normalising ties with Israel, as the US wants, Politico reported.
In recent weeks, Iran’s leaders have railed against a US-backed proposed deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia, with Khamenei on October 3 saying countries aiming to normalize relations with Israel would be taking a big risk. “The position of the Islamic Republic is that countries that make the gamble of normalization with Israel will lose. They are betting on a losing horse,” Khamenei said.
Hezbollah, another militant group linked to Iran, also appeared to link Saturday’s violence with the Saudi rapprochement, saying in a statement the attack was a “decisive response to Israel’s continued occupation and a message to those seeking normalisation with Israel.”
The start of the assault, the largest clash since Israel and Hamas fought a 10-day battle in 2021, was announced by Hamas military commander Mohammad Deif. “This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth,” he said, adding that 5,000 rockets had been fired at Israel, Politico reported.
In September, there were meetings in Lebanon between Hamas and Iranian Revolutionaly Guards commanders, according to Jason Brodsky, a non-resident scholar at the Middle East Institute. That provides “some clues as to organization of this assault on Israel today,” he said, Politico reported.
“I believe that the hand of Iran will be found in elements of this,” said Jonathan Schanzer, senior vice president for research at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, a Washington-based think tank, Politico reported.


Tripura BJP to Focus on Organisational Strength Ahead of Upcoming Polls
BJP state president Abhishek Debroy has said that strengthening the party organisation at every level will remain the BJP's top priority as it prepares for the upcoming electoral battles in the state.
Governor Urges Mass Participation in Anti-Drug Drive at Tripura University
Calling drug addiction one of the most serious challenges confronting society, Governor Indra Sena Reddy Nallu urged citizens to join hands in the fight against narcotics, stressing that a drug-free society can only be achieved through collective public participation.
IGP holds review meeting in Gomati, stresses on intelligence-based policing
Tripura Police’s Inspector General of Police (IGP), Law and Order Branch, Manchak Eppar, IPS, visited the Gomati District Police Headquarters to assess the district’s law and order situation, crime prevention strategies and the overall progress of policing activities.
Stolen auto recovered from in Bishramganj, police launch probe
Bishramganj Police have recovered a stolen CNG auto-rickshaw from a rubber plantation near the new petrol pump area along the National Highway late Saturday night.
Auto Drivers Protest Traffic Enforcement in Kamalasagar
Tension briefly flared in the Lembutuli area of Kamalasagar on Sunday after an enforcement drive against the use of black window films (sun-control films) on vehicles led to a confrontation between Bishalgarh Police and auto-rickshaw drivers.
Garbage dumping row triggers protest in Kamalpur
Alleged dumping of garbage into a privately owned pond in Rishipara under Ward No. 2 of the Kamalpur Nagar Panchayat in Dhalai district has sparked outrage among local residents, who have demanded immediate intervention by the administration to address the growing environmental and public health concerns.
Police personnel accused of performing duty under influence of alcohol at Mata Bari; Probe Demanded
Allegations that a police personnel was performing duty under the influence of alcohol at the revered Mata Tripura Sundari Temple in Udaipur, Gomati district, have triggered widespread concern, with the incident drawing significant attention on social media.
Woman dies, minor injured after car crashes into house in South
A 45-year-old woman lost her life and a 10-year-old girl was injured after a WagonR car allegedly went out of control and hit them near Kalachhara Railway Station in South Tripura district on Sunday morning.