Macron: ‘It’s likely’ Iran helped Hamas execute Israel terror attack
Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday “it’s likely” that Iran helped Hamas in carrying out its deadly terror attack on Israel, though Western allies have no definitive proof yet.
The French president’s remarks come after a trickle of news reports pointing to Tehran’s active involvement in launching the murderous incursion into Israeli territory, during which Palestinian militants killed hundreds of civilians.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday denied reports of Iranian involvement in Hamas’ deadly terror attack on Israel.
Khamenei praised the Palestinian terrorists, but added that “those who say that the recent saga is the work of non-Palestinians” are wrong, according to a transcript on Iranian state news agency IRNA.
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On Sunday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Iranian officials had helped Hamas carry out Saturday’s attack, in which 900 Israelis were killed and 2,400 wounded. Israel’s retaliation measures across the Gaza Strip, meanwhile, have killed 704 people and wounded 3,900.
Citing senior members of Hamas and of Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, the Wall Street Journal said Iranian security officials helped the group “devise the air, land and sea incursions,” giving the final approval for the assault at a recent meeting in Beirut.
The WSJ’s story was followed up by a report in Lebanese outlet L’Orient-Le Jour, which also indicated involvement by Iranian-backed Hezbollah.
U.S. and Israeli officials said they could not confirm Iran’s involvement in the attack, but they did not deny the possibility, given Tehran’s long-term backing for Hamas.
Iran swiftly congratulated Hamas after its surprise attack on Israel, expressing support for “anti-Zionist resistance” across the region. On Tuesday, Khamenei reiterated Tehran’s support for the militant group’s actions, that he said caused Israel to suffer “an irreparable defeat.”
“This devastating earthquake has destroyed some of the major structures of the usurping regime, which are not easy to rebuild,” he said.
Speaking alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at a Franco-German summit in Hamburg, Macron added that “we condemn with great clarity” that Iran welcomed the attack.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Tuesday said he had spoken to Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, to reiterate his condemnation of the “brutal attacks.”
“Nothing can justify such despicable acts of terror and nothing can justify supporting it,” Borrell added.
Hans von der Burchard reported from Hamburg, Germany.