Iran: The October 7 attack was in retaliation for the assassination of Qassem Soleimani. Hamas denies it

(CNN) – Iranian Revolutionary Guard spokesman Ramadan Sharif said Wednesday that the attack launched by Hamas fighters against Israel on October 7 was one of “acts of retaliation for the assassination” of Iranian leader Qassem Soleimani , as reported by the official Iranian news agency (IRNA).

Revolutionary Guard commander Soleimani was killed in a US raid in Iraq in January 2020.

According to the Iranian News Agency, Sharif said that “the Al-Aqsa Flood operation against the Israeli regime was one of the acts of revenge for the assassination of General Soleimani,” warning that “these acts of revenge will continue.”

Following Sharif’s claims, Hamas released a statement refuting Iran’s claims and saying that the main motive behind the attack was “the Israeli threat to Al-Aqsa Mosque”.

Hamas said it denied the validity of what the Revolutionary Guard spokesperson said and added that it “confirms that all Palestinian resistance actions are a response to the presence of the occupation and its continued aggression against our people and our holy places.” .

The Iranian news agency quoted Sharif as saying that Iran “will appropriately respond to the assassination of a senior military adviser in Syria by the Israeli regime, and will react to the terrorist attack at different times and places.”

IRNA reported that a leading member of the Revolutionary Guard, Radhi Mousavi, was killed on Monday in an “Israeli” airstrike that targeted him in the Sayyida Zeinab area of ​​Damascus, and Iran said Mousavi “he was one of Soleimani’s closest companions.” .”