Israel's Zionist regime has suffered "irrevocable defeat": Iran Supreme Leader Khamenei

TEL AVIV: Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on Tuesday claimed that Israel has "suffered an irrevocable defeat both in terms of military and intelligence," Iranian News Agency Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported.

The Iranian leader however said that Tehran was not involved in the Saturday attack by Hamas on Israel.

“But those who say that the recent great event is the work of non-Palestinians are making miscalculations” Khameni was cited in the IRNA report. Khamenei made the remarks while attending the joint graduation ceremony for the cadets studying in the academics of Iran's Armed Forces. Since the beginning of 'Operation Al-Aqsa Storm,' “the occupying Zionist regime has suffered an irrevocable defeat both in terms of military and intelligence,” Khamenei said as cited by IRNA.

Khamenei then noted that while everyone talked about the “defeat,” he would emphasize the “irrevocability” of it.

“I say that this devastating earthquake has managed to destroy some of the main structures of the occupying regime’s rule, which cannot be rebuilt so easily,” the Iran leader said in his remarks that were televised.

“We kiss the foreheads and arms of the resourceful and intelligent designers [of the operation] and the Palestinian youth,” Khameni said in his first speech since the weekend attack on Israel by Hamas from the Gaza strip.

So far at least 900 Israelis have been killed and over 2,616 people injured in the attack, according to The Times of Israel.

A recent Wall Street Journal report had said that Iranian security officials helped Hamas plan the attack on Israel.

According to senior members of terrorist groups Hamaz and Hezbollah, Iran gave approval for the assault at a meeting held in Beirut last Monday, according to the WSJ report that was cited by the Israel Foreign Ministry statement on X app.

The attack was planned to coincide with Israel's internal political turmoil surrounding Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

In addition, the attack was planned to disrupt the rapidly progressing US-brokered negotiations aimed at normalizing ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel, a development considered as a threat by Iran, according to senior members of Hamas and Hezbollah, Wall Street Journal reported.

On Sunday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that Hamas has grown stronger with Iran's support in recent years. However, he also mentioned that there is no direct evidence of Iran's involvement in the specific Hamas attack on Israel, ABC News reported.

In an interview with ABC News, Blinken said, "There's a long relationship between Iran and Hamas. In fact, Hamas wouldn't be Hamas without the support that it's gotten over many years from Iran. We haven't yet seen direct evidence that Iran was behind this particular attack is involved, but the - the support over many years is clear."

Meanwhile, earlier today, the Israel Defense Forces' top spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari stressed that the military has regained full control of the Gaza border after Hamas terrorists blew up sections of the border fence during the attack on Saturday, reported The Times of Israel.

Adding to this, he noted that not even a single terrorist entered via the fence.

According to the Israeli Air Force, fighter jets have been striking numerous terror targets belonging to Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Overnight, dozens of fighter jets struck over 200 targets in Rimal and Khan Yunis.