Iran says ‘no one can stop resistance’ if Israel keeps bombing Gaza

Tehran, Iran – – AFP

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said that “no one can stop resistance forces” if Israel keeps up its bombardment of Gaza in response to the shock October 7 attack by Hamas.

“If the crimes of the Zionist (Israeli) regime continue, Muslims and resistance forces will become impatient, and no one can stop them,” Khamenei said.

Iran has been in close contact with its regional allies, including Lebanese resistance group Hezbollah and pro-Tehran Iraqi militias, as well as the Hamas leadership.

Israel has declared war on Gaza with a devastating air and artilley bombardment of the impoverished region that has killed at least 2,750 Palestinians, most of them civilians including children.

“No matter what the Zionist regime does, it cannot make up for the scandalous failure it suffered,” Khamenei said.

Israel has deployed tens of thousands of troops to its border with Gaza in preparation for a full-scale ground offensive.

Israel has told some 1.1 million Gazans — nearly half the territory’s population of 2.4 million — to leave the north of the densely populated enclave, in anticipation of the operation.

Tehran has repeatedly warned that a ground invasion of Gaza will be met with a response on other fronts — prompting fears of a wider conflict that could draw in other countries.

On Monday, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian spoke of possible “pre-emptive action” against Israel by the “resistance front” while President Ebrahim Raisi said time was running out to reach a political solution.