Iran denies it had a role in Hamas attack

TEHRAN: Iran says claims that it played a role in Hamas’s assault on Israel were unfounded.

“The accusations linked to an Iranian role… are based on political reasons,” foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani told reporters.

Palestinians had “the necessary capacity and will to defend their nation and recover their rights” without any help from Tehran, Kanani added.

His comments came after the Wall Street Journal reported that Iran helped Hamas plan its surprise attacks.

Iran calls for emergency OIC meeting over regional developments

The Wall Street Journal had reported that officers from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) collaborated closely with Hamas for several months, beginning in August, to strategize and coordinate air, land, and sea incursions into Israeli territory — a significant breach not witnessed since the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

These alleged details emerged from meetings held in Beirut, where IRGC officers reportedly met with representatives of four Iran-backed militant groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah.

Hamas currently holds power in Gaza, while Hezbollah is a prominent Shiite militant group and political faction in Lebanon.

The US officials have yet to find concrete evidence supporting these claims of Iranian involvement. In a recent interview with CNN, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: “We have not yet seen evidence that Iran directed or was behind this particular attack, but there is certainly a long relationship.”