Israel Claims Iran Trying To Deploy Arms Through Syria; Seeks Shutdown Of Al Jazeera Bureau

Tel Aviv: Amid an imminent ground assault on Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, a senior Israeli official on Sunday accused Iran of trying to open a second war front by deploying weapons in or through Syria, according to Reuters.

While responding to a post on X about such a scenario, Joshua Zarka, head of strategic affairs for Israel’s Foreign Ministry, wrote: “They (Iranians) are.”

Hamas is widely believed to be backed by Iran.

Hamas, in a  statement, on Saturday mentioned about the meeting between its leader Ismail Haniyeh with Iran’s foreign minister in Qatar, during which they discussed the Palestinian militant group’s deadly attack in Israel “and agreed to continue cooperation” to achieve the group’s goals.

While Israel has vowed to annihilate the militant group Hamas, in retaliation for the unprecedented land-sea-air assault on its territories that left over 1,300 dead, has Iran warned of “far-reaching consequences” if the bombardment does not stop.

The ongoing war has already claimed 2,383 lives in Gaza Strip (2,329) and West Bank (54) and left over 13,000 injured, according to Palestinian Health Ministry.

The Israeli military also confirmed having killed another Hamas commander responsible for the raid on two border villages of Nirim and Nir Oz, the day Hamas carried out the deadliest attack in years on Israel. Billal Al-Qedra, the commander of the so-called Nukhba unit’s southern Khan Yunis battalion, was killed in an airstrike, the Israel Air Force (IAF) said on Sunday.

It had earlier informed about having killed Murad Abu Murad, a senior military commander of Hamas, who headed the Palestinian militant group’s aerial operations a week ago. It has also blamed the terror group, Hamas, of obstructing and preventing the safe passage of residents in the Gaza Strip moving along central roads. It later allowed them a little more time to flee northern areas before launching the ground offensive.

The United States has also deployed a second aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean “to deter hostile actions against Israel or any efforts toward widening this war”.

Israel’s communications minister has also sought a possible closure of Al Jazeera’s local bureau while accusing the Qatari news station of pro-Hamas incitement and of exposing Israeli soldiers to potential attack from Gaza.

On the other hand, Chinese envoy Zhai Jun is planning to visit Middle East next week to push for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Sunday.