By A recent report by the Wall Street Journal has claimed that Iran played a significant role in planning Hamas’ devastating attack on Israel. If these revelations are verified, the situation could potentially escalate, leading to a wider conflict.
According to senior members of Hamas and Hezbollah, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps collaborated with Hamas since August to strategize and carry out the attack. Allegedly, Iran gave its green light to the operation, which took place last Monday.
The surprise attack resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Israelis and prompted retaliatory bombings by the Israeli military in Gaza. In response, Israel officially declared war, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cautioning that it would be a long and challenging battle.
The potential involvement of Iran in this conflict adds a concerning dimension. While Iran has a history of supporting proxy groups that fight against Israel, direct involvement could provoke an Israeli response against Iran itself. Such a response could engulf the broader region in turmoil.
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, however, has stated that the United States has not yet seen concrete evidence proving Iran’s direct directive in the attack. He also dismissed criticisms linking the recent U.S. deal to unfreeze $6 billion in Iranian funds with the attack.
Blinken clarified, “No U.S. taxpayer dollars were involved. The funds in question were Iranian resources accumulated from oil sales and held in a South Korean bank. Under our law, under our sanctions, Iran has the right to use these funds for humanitarian purposes. As of now, not a single dollar from that account has been spent.”
Also read: ‘Fear trade’: What Israel-Hamas war means for oil prices and financial markets
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