Iranian officials say Hamas operation proves Israel is 'fragile'

By Syed Zafar Mehdi

TEHRAN (AA) - Hundreds of people gathered at the iconic Palestine Square in central Tehran on Saturday evening to "celebrate" the latest operation by the Palestinian resistance groups against Israel.

Many Iranian officials also hailed the operation dubbed Al-Aqsa Flood launched by Hamas from the Gaza Strip, which has again brought the two sides to the brink of an all-out conflict.

On the sidelines of an event in Tehran, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani congratulated the Palestinian groups on "opening a new page of resistance" against Israel, saying it proves how "fragile" it is in the face of spirited Palestinian resistance.

He said the latest operation by a Gaza-based resistance group has once again demonstrated that the invincibility of Israel is an "empty claim," adding that Israel has "always faced failure and humiliation" whenever it has tried to carry out an operation in Gaza.

"Today's operation of the resistance movement in Palestine is a milestone in the continuation of the armed resistance of the Palestinian people against the Zionists," Kanaani said, adding that it shows "high confidence" in the resistance groups.

"We hope the resistance movement can achieve more victories with high spirit in the path of liberating Palestine and realizing the aspirations of the Palestinian people."

Iranian government spokesman Bahador Jahromi also took to X to commend the Palestinian resistance, noting that its "powerful response" through the operation again proved that Israel is "more defeatable than ever and the initiative is in the hands of the Palestinian youth."

Earlier, Maj. Gen. Yahya Rahim Safavi, a senior military advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, at an event in Tehran declared support for the operation.

"We will stay with the Palestinian fighters until the liberation of Palestine and Al-Quds," the former chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement.

He also questioned what he called the "silence of international organizations" over the killing of Palestinians, including children, by Israel.