IRGC Spokesman Claims 'Al-Aqsa Storm' Was Revenge for Qassem Soleimani; Hamas Denies

Hours after the spokesman of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) referred to Hamas's October 7 terrorist attack on Israel, dubbed 'Al-Aqsa Storm', as 'one of the retaliations' for the killing of Qassem Soleimani, Hamas denied this claim. Ramadan Sharif, the IRGC spokesman, on Wednesday, January 6, reacted to the killing of Razi Mousavi, a senior IRGC member in Syria, by threatening Israel, stating that 'Al-Aqsa Storm is one of the retaliations for the assassination' of Qassem Soleimani 'by the U.S. and Israel.' According to the Fars News Agency, affiliated with the IRGC, Sharif warned: 'Israelis should know that the IRGC is well aware of the reasons behind this assassination and will show an appropriate response. These retaliations will definitely continue at various times and places.' Sharif's remarks contrast with previous statements by Iranian officials who denied involvement in the October 7 attack by the Hamas militia against Israel. He further described Razi Mousavi as a 'skilled and experienced advisor of the IRGC' who had been responsible for 'empowering and supporting' the Islamic Republic's proxy forces in the region for over 25 years. Sharif stated that the 'response' to the killing of Razi Mousavi would be a 'combination of direct action' by the Islamic Republic and its proxy forces in the region under the title of the 'Resistance Front.' Iranian officials refer to militia groups in the Middle East that they arm and fund as the 'Resistance Front.' Meanwhile, the Palestinian group Hamas rejected the IRGC spokesman's assertion that the October 7 operation against Israel was revenge for Qassem Soleimani's killing. This Palestinian militia, supported by the Islamic Republic, stated in a Wednesday announcement that it considers 'all actions' of Palestinian groups, including 'Al-Aqsa Storm', as a response to Israeli actions at 'Al-Aqsa Mosque.' In previous days, Iranian officials had attributed the killing of Razi Mousavi, a veteran IRGC member and 'responsible for sending weapons to pro-Iranian militias in Syria and Hezbollah in Lebanon', to Israel and threatened the country with retaliation. On Tuesday, Kamal Panjasi, the Persian-speaking spokesman of the Israeli army, in an interview with Voice of America, refrained from confirming or denying his country's involvement in the killing of Razi Mousavi in Syria, stating that any attack on Israel's borders would be met with a decisive response from the Israeli army. Two days after the killing of Razi Mousavi, one of the highest-ranking Quds Force commanders in Syria, in an airstrike near Damascus, conflicting narratives from Iranian officials about him and the nature of his activities continue. Iranian websites reported, citing Hossein Akbari, the Iranian ambassador to Syria, that Razi's house was targeted by 'three missiles' and his body was 'thrown into the yard.' The IRGC also stated in a statement that Mousavi was a 'comrade' of Qassem Soleimani and 'responsible for supporting the Resistance Front' in Syria. Iranian officials refer to militia groups in the Middle East that they arm and fund as the 'Resistance Front.' This statement from the IRGC comes as Hossein Akbari described Razi Mousavi as a 'diplomat and second advisor at the embassy' and stated that he had 'diplomatic passport and residency' in Syria. Daniel Hagari, the spokesman for the Israeli army, refrained from officially stating that Israel targeted Razi. Hagari told a Reuters reporter who asked him to respond to the killing of Mousavi and reports of Israel's involvement in this attack that he does not comment on 'foreign reports.' However, he stated that the Israeli army's duty is to protect Israel's security interests. Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, who is a military figure and has a record of membership in the IRGC, said Razi 'untangled every task in the field.' The term 'field' has been used in recent years in the Islamic Republic to refer to the IRGC's military activities abroad. The Islamic Republic financially and militarily supports militia groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad that engage with Israel. On the other hand, AFP reported, citing the 'Syrian Observatory for Human Rights', which receives its news from Syrian government opponents based in London, that in addition to Razi, 'two foreign fighters and one Syrian fighter were also killed in the Israeli attack.' Razi is the highest-ranking IRGC official killed outside Iran in the past four years. Ibrahim Raisi, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, stated on Tuesday that the Islamic Republic will take revenge for Razi's killing. Iranian officials had previously made similar threats after the killing of Qassem Soleimani, the former commander of the IRGC Quds Force, in a U.S. drone strike near Baghdad airport, and after a missile attack on a base hosting U.S. forces (Ain al-Asad), they continue to claim that this 'hard revenge' has not yet been taken. In the missile attack by the IRGC on the Ain al-Asad base in Iraq, no American forces were killed. However, shortly after that, a Ukrainian passenger plane was shot down by two missiles from the IRGC minutes after taking off from Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran, killing all passengers on board. The Islamic Republic's use of the title 'diplomat' for intelligence and military agents has a history. For example, a previous 'diplomat' of the Islamic Republic named Assadollah Assadi was arrested for attempting to bomb a gathering of the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization in Paris and was convicted in a court in Belgium. He was arrested in Germany and after being transferred to Belgium in 2021, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Assadollah Assadi was the 'third secretary of the Iranian embassy' in Vienna. The Islamic Republic, emphasizing his diplomatic immunity, rejected the charges and evidence against him. In June of this year, Iranian officials managed to exchange Assadi with a Belgian humanitarian worker detained in Iran. Western experts say that the Islamic Republic effectively takes foreign and dual nationals hostage to exert pressure on other countries. The reaction of users to the killing of Razi Mousavi in Syria: 'A Christmas gift to the Iranian nation.' Reference to the Israeli Defense Minister's mention of retaliatory attacks in Iran and Iraq. The contradictions of the Islamic Republic regarding Razi; 'A diplomat' who was 'responsible for supporting the Resistance Front.' Exclusive; Warning from the spokesman of the Israeli army: Any 'attack and aggression' will be met with our decisive response. Developments following the killing of a senior IRGC member in Syria; Israel prepares for the Islamic Republic's retaliatory attack. The killing of a senior IRGC commander in an Israeli attack on the outskirts of Damascus in Syria.