According to The Wall Street Journal, 500 members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad underwent “specialized combat training” last month with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to carry out the invasion which included taking over 200 hostages.
The outlet previously reported that Iranian security officials “gave the green light” for the assault at a meeting in Beirut five days before the deadly attack.
Israel has repeatedly accused Iran of being behind Hamas’ attack on the Jewish state, an attack that also left thousands of Israeli civilians injured.
The Journal reported that Iranian Brig. Gen. Esmail Qaani, the head of the Quds Force, was part of the training.
IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said at a press conference Wednesday before the report was published that Iran had directly aided Hamas “before the war, with training, supplying weapons, money and technological know-how.”
He added, “Iranian aid to Hamas continues in the form of intelligence and online incitement against the State of Israel.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that Israel is facing an “axis of evil, led by Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, their minions who are fighting to bring back the Middle East, the world, to the early Middle Ages.”
On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the UN Security Council that it “is no secret” that “for years, Iran has supported Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and other groups that continue to carry out attacks on Israel.”
