The October 7, 2023, Al-Aqsa Storm operation surpassed the expectations of Israel, delivering a significant setback to the Israeli regime, according to Major General Abdollahi, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces. In a statement marking the third anniversary of the operation, Abdollahi described the event as a turning point that shifted the approach of the Resistance Front from a defensive stance to a more proactive, offensive strategy aimed at defending the Palestinian people and their territory.
Abdollahi emphasized that the operation disrupted adversarial calculations and accelerated what he described as the decline of the Israeli regime. He highlighted that the developments following the operation demonstrated the resilience and sustained momentum of the Resistance Front, comprised of groups opposing Israel's policies in the region.
Referencing key figures in the movement, Abdollahi cited the ongoing influence of martyred commanders such as Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, former head of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, as well as leaders like Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, secretary-general of Lebanon’s Hezbollah; Ismail Haniyeh, former head of Hamas’ Political Bureau; and Yahya Sinwar. He suggested that the legacy of these leaders had contributed to shaping the region’s future dynamics.
Abdollahi reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to supporting the Palestinian cause and the Resistance Front. He stressed that defending Palestine would remain a priority for Iran until what he termed the “liberation of Al-Quds” (Jerusalem). Additionally, he invoked the guidance of both the late Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the former Leader of the Islamic Revolution, and the current Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, as continuing sources of ideological and strategic direction for Iran’s support of the Palestinian movement.
The Iranian official’s remarks underscore Tehran’s ongoing political and military backing for groups opposing Israel in the region, reflecting broader tensions that persist in the Middle East over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.