WANA (Jun 16) – The Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, issued a statement on Sunday mourning the loss of several top commanders of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s armed forces, killed during the ongoing Israeli strikes. The group praised their decades-long support for the Palestinian cause and resistance movement, calling their sacrifice “heroic” and “eternally inscribed in the pages of history.”

 

Tribute to Fallen Iranian Leaders

The statement honors the “martyrdom” of:

  • General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces
  • General Hossein Salami, Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
  • General Gholam Ali Rashid, Commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters
    …as well as other senior officers and fighters, all of whom were killed in recent Israeli airstrikes.

 

“We pay tribute to these revered leaders and their comrades for their pivotal and historic role in supporting the Palestinian cause and the steadfast resistance of our people over decades,” the Qassam Brigades stated.

 

“Their unwavering and courageous stance will be forever recorded in golden letters in the chronicles of our struggle, especially during this defining battle of the Islamic nation—‘Operation Al-Aqsa Storm.’”

 

“They Never Hesitated”

The statement acknowledged the heavy price Iran paid for its open support of the Palestinian resistance, noting that the commanders were fully aware of the consequences yet remained committed to their path until they were “martyred” by what the statement calls “the enemy of the Islamic Ummah.”

 

“Their martyrdom will prove in the coming days and years just how significantly their support shaped the course of our battle with the Zionist enemy and brought us closer to final victory.”

 

Solidarity with the Iranian People

The Qassam Brigades also extended condolences to the Iranian people, many of whom were also killed in recent Israeli strikes:

 

“We mourn the loss of Iranian civilians who have long stood beside the resistance and pray for the swift recovery of the wounded. We affirm our complete support for the Islamic Republic of Iran and salute the bold and heroic military response by its armed forces to the Zionist aggression.”

 

“A Blow to the Occupier’s Illusions”

Hamas stated that Iran’s retaliatory strikes had “shaken the pillars of the occupying regime,” destroying its illusions and reinforcing the resolve of resistance movements to make the Zionist enemy pay a higher cost for its aggression.

 

Final Call for the End of the Israeli Regime

“The time has come for this malignant regime to be erased from the pages of history. We ask God Almighty to grant victory to the Islamic Ummah, bring about the liberation of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and uproot this arrogant Zionist entity once and for all,” the statement concluded.

Gathering of Opponents of the Israeli Regime’s Warmongering Actions at a Busy Urban Center in Brazil’s Capital. Social media/ WANA News Agency