• Source:JND
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In a significant breakthrough amid the growing Iran-Israel tensions, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Saturday confirmed that senior Iranian military official and head of the Palestinian Division within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) Quds Force Saeed Izadi was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Iranian city of Qom during the early hours of Saturday. The IDF described Izadi as "a founder of the Iranian regime's plan to destroy Israel" and one of the main masterminds responsible for the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, which killed more than 1,200 Israelis and ignited a deadly war in Gaza.

Who Was Saeed Izadi?

Izadi was said by Israeli intelligence to have been instrumental in coordinating military and economic activity between the Iranian regime and Hamas. As head of the Quds Force's Palestinian Corps, he served as the focal point for Iran's assistance to Palestinian terrorist organizations, most notably Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip. "Saeed Izadi, a founder of the Iranian regime’s plan to destroy Israel, was eliminated in a precise IDF strike in the area of Qom. Izadi was also the commander of the Palestine Corps of the Quds Force, a key coordinator between the Iranian regime and Hamas, and one of the main orchestrators of the October 7 massacre. He was responsible for military coordination between the senior commanders of the IRGC and the Iranian regime, with key figures in Hamas. As part of his role, Izadi was responsible for increasing the financial funding from Iran to Hamas for terrorist activities against Israel. During the war, he was also responsible for directing Hamas forces operating from Lebanon. Since then, he has been committed to rebuilding Hamas' military wing and ensuring that Hamas remains the controlling authority in Gaza," the IDF wrote in an X (formerly Twitter) post.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz also verified the death of Izadi as a "huge achievement for Israeli intelligence and the Israeli Air Force." The commander, Saeed Izadi, led the Palestine Corps of the overseas arm, or Quds Force, Katz said in a statement. According to him, Izadi not only "funded and armed Hamas" before the October 7 attack but also played a crucial role in the revival of Hamas' military branch and sustaining the group's control over Gaza. “Izadi’s elimination is justice for the murdered and the hostages. Israel’s long arm will reach all its enemies,” Katz added.

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Link to Iran-Hamas Coordination and Funding

Last month, Israel declassified an intelligence report that allegedly showed how top Hamas officials Yahya Sinwar and Muhammad Deif had penned a letter to IRGC Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani in 2021 asking for 500 million USD to fund their battles against Israel. In the report, Izadi is accused of responding favorably, offering financial backing despite Iran's domestic economic woes. The Israeli army asserts that Izadi made this financial transaction and served as a strategic coordinator, allowing Hamas' cross-border efforts, including activities led from Lebanon.

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As the Israel-Iran war goes into its second week, Israeli government officials claim their attacks have set Iran's nuclear programs back by a minimum of two to three years. The military leader of Israel also threatened a "prolonged campaign" to come. This attack represents one of the most consequential Israeli raids within Iran in recent memory and reflects an escalation of tensions between these two regional adversaries.