The surprise attack on Israel launched by Hamas last year was a 'logical and legal' step towards defeating the 'malicious and cowardly' Zionist regime, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said.
On Friday, in his first public sermon in nearly five years, Khamenei defended the actions against Israel by the 'axis of resistance', which includes the Lebanese-based Hezbollah and Palestinian group Hamas.
Monday marks one year since the start of Israel's military operation in Gaza, which came in response to Hamas' surprise attack in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which around 1,100 people were killed and more than 200 people were taken hostage. Israel's campaign in the enclave, following years of a de-facto blockade of Gaza, has resulted in the deaths of over 41,000 Palestinians, Gaza's Health Ministry said earlier this week.
Tensions between Israel and neighboring Muslim countries have soared during the Gaza operation, with both Iran and Hezbollah supporting Hamas and Palestine. Earlier this month, the conflict entered a new stage as Israel launched a ground operation in Lebanon. In retaliation, Iran launched a massive missile attack on Israel this week.
Khamenei said in his sermon that the Palestinians, like 'every people,' have 'the right to defend their land, their home, their country, and their interests against aggressors,' and this 'logic is supported by international law.' He added that 'those who help' the Palestinians and support them are merely 'doing their duty.'
'This is the rule of Islam, the rule of reason, and international and global logic. The Palestinians are defending their land; their defense is legitimate, and helping them is also logical and legal,'Â he stated.
He defended Iran's recent missile attack on Israel, saying it was 'the minimum punishment for the usurping and bloodthirsty Zionist regime… whose only achievement has been to bomb homes, schools, hospitals and civilian gathering centers' in Gaza.
Khamenei went on to say that Iran 'will perform any duty required' to see Israel defeated, claiming that West Jerusalem has only managed to 'survive' for so long due to the assistance of its allies in the West.
'This regime acts like rabid wolves and raging dogs of America in the region. This malicious and cowardly entity has barely kept itself afloat thanks to America's support, and it will not last long,'Â he said.
Khamenei stressed that the main problem in the Middle East is foreign interference, as 'the countries of the region are capable of establishing security and peace' if left alone. He criticized America's involvement and support for West Jerusalem, saying the US has never wanted peace in the Middle East, but has instead been pursuing the goal 'of turning Israel into a tool to seize all the natural resources of the region and invest them in major global conflicts.'
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