North Triangle News

During the month of September, 500 individuals with direct affiliations to Hamas and PIJ terrorist organizations received training in Iran for a planned attack on Oct. 7th. 

The Iranian regime is complicit in aiding and abetting Hamas’ attacks against Israel. U.S. officials have been cautious about attributing blame to the Islamic Republic, stating that they lack information directly linking Iran to the training specifically for the Oct. 7th attack. However, a 2020 State Department report estimated that Iran provides approximately $100 million annually to Hamas, along with the transfer of technology and expertise. This financial support has enabled Hamas to enhance its rocket arsenal in Gaza, with the help of Iranian designs.

Before the brutal Hamas attack on October 7, hundreds of Palestinian terrorists underwent specialized combat training in Iran. The Wall Street Journal reported this, citing information from sources familiar with the intelligence surrounding the incident, according to a report from The Times of Israel, titled "500 Hamas, PIJ terrorists trained for October 7 attack in Iran last month." Around 500 members from both Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad participated in this training last month, which was led by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Israel has repeatedly accused Iran of playing a significant role in supporting the coordinated Hamas attack on its border, during which the Gaza border fence was disabled, and they launched a devastating assault on nearby communities, including taking hostages.

U.S. officials have been cautious about attributing blame to the Islamic Republic, stating that they lack information directly linking Iran to the training specifically for the Oct. 7th attack, according to article by JNS. Pentagon spokesman Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder mentioned, "The information we have does not establish a direct connection between Iran and the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7th. We will continue to investigate this matter." Saeid Golkar, an expert on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, stated that an operation of this kind would be challenging to execute without support from Hezbollah and the IRGC, as Hamas lacks the necessary capabilities.

A 2020 State Department report estimated that Iran provides approximately $100 million annually to Hamas. This financial support, along with the transfer of technology and expertise, has enabled Hamas to enhance its rocket arsenal in Gaza, with the help of Iranian designs. During the 11-day conflict with Israel in 2021, Hamas launched 4,000 rockets. In the recent events, Hamas fired 2,500 rockets, indicating an even larger stockpile. Members of Hezbollah and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps played a role in teaching Hamas engineers how to create short-range rockets using common materials like sugar and pipes. By 2012, Hamas had progressed to firing long-range Iranian Fajr-5 rockets toward Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. (Source)