Israeli Forces Target Iranian Commander Linked to Hamas
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Saturday that they had carried out a strike that resulted in the death of an Iranian commander who had been crucial in arming and financing Hamas over several years. This commander, Saeed Izadi, led the Palestinian Corps of the QUDS force and was killed in QOM city during an early morning operation.
As reported by BBC News, Izadi was identified as a key figure behind the October 7, 2023, attacks, particularly in relation to Hamas’s military activities against Israel. IDF chief Eir Zamir emphasized in a statement that Izadi’s actions had directly contributed to the deaths of thousands of Israelis, describing the mission as a significant intelligence and operational success.
Significant Iranian Military Loss
Following the assassination of Mohamed Singwar, the head of Hamas’s armed wing in May, collaboration between the IDF and the Israel Security Agency (ISA) revealed a hidden command center located under a Gaza hospital.
The Israeli military reported that they discovered documents linking Hamas militants, including Singwar, directly to Izadi, suggesting they had maintained communication in recent months. The IDF mentioned an instance where Izadi reportedly planned to supply Hamas with advanced weaponry worth $21 million.
Impact of the IDF’s Actions
The IDF claimed that concerted efforts from their Southern Command, Intelligence Communications Bureau, and the ISA thwarted two projects aimed at equipping Hamas with advanced military hardware, amounting to tens of millions of dollars. Furthermore, Izadi had been recognized by the U.S. and U.K. for his connections to the Palestinian militant Islamic Jihad, which was also implicated in planning the October 7 attacks.
On the same day, the IDF confirmed they had also targeted another Iranian commander, Benham Shariyali, in Tehran, marking continued efforts to disrupt Iranian supply lines to regional militant groups.
Shariyali was identified as overseeing arms transfers from Iran to various proxies, including Hezbollah and Hamas. The IDF underscored their ongoing commitment to dismantling military capabilities of Hamas and thwarting financial support from Iran for terrorist organizations threatening Israel.
The elimination of Izadi specifically is viewed as a significant setback for Iran’s efforts in financing and supplying arms to its affiliates in the region.
