Al-Aqsa Storm Originated from Palestinians’ Own Strength: IRGC Commander
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Major General Hossein Salami said the Al-Aqsa Storm operation was purely Palestinian, underscoring its separate trajectory from retaliatory measures for General Qassem Soleimani’s assassination.
"The Al-Aqsa Storm is independent of our quest for retaliation for Hajj Qassem (Soleimani's) martyrdom," the IRGC commander said, emphasizing the detachment between the two events.
During the funeral procession for Brigadier General Seyed Razi Mousavi, an IRGC military adviser who was martyred in a terrorist Israeli airstrike in a Damascus neighborhood three days ago, Majaor General Salami stated, “Seyed Razi’s martyrdom came out of the incapability of the Zionist regime,” adding, “We will never exercise patience in the face of the martyrdom of our people. Seyed Razi’s revenge will be nothing but the elimination of the Zionist regime.”
Salami also described Mousavi as “one of the most experienced and effective” IRGC members in the resistance front, stating "Today's powerful Muslim structure in Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine is undeniably the outcome of Mousavi 's struggles."
Martyr Mousavi was a comrade of Iran’s legendary anti-terror commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, he said, adding that Mousavi never left the field of jihad (endeavor for the sake of God) over the past 45 years.
General Soleimani was assassinated by the US in Iraq in January 2020. He was highly revered due to his key role in fighting the US-created and Israeli-supported Daesh (ISIL or ISIS) Takfiri terrorist group in the region, particularly in Iraq and Syria.
Highlighting the significance of individuals like Seyed Razi, Major General Salami asserted, "The resistance's potency is due to the unnamed individuals bravely ensuring Muslim safety, tranquility, and dignity."
“He (Mousavi) remained steadfast after (the assassination of) Haj Qassem and accompanied (Commander of the IRGC’s Quds Force Brigadier General Esmail) Qa’ani,” he said, adding, “The enemy knew him better than us because it had received severe blows from him. The enemy knew what role and influence he had on the endless chain of power.”
Clarifying the Al-Aqsa Storm operation's nature, Salami stressed its purely Palestinian execution without external involvement, reiterating its separation from the retaliation for General Soleimani’s assassination.
"The resilience in Palestine is a result of internal capabilities, with Gaza producing weaponry persistently, ensuring the resistance's persistence despite Zionist actions," Salami declared.
He underscored the historical context behind the Al-Aqsa Storm operation, linking it to past atrocities and injustices perpetrated against Palestinians.
He stated that the Palestinian operation was in response to 75 years of Israeli occupation, crimes against Palestinian youth, and murders, as well as the regime's desecration of the al-Aqsa Mosque and nightly raids in the West Bank.
"Hamas and (Islamic) Jihad are capable of manufacturing weapons within Gaza... The resistance will not end, but the power of the Zionist regime will.
"There is no doubt that the Zionist regime is incapable of providing a peaceful life for the world's Jews."
The IRGC Commander also emphasized Iranian forces' transparency in actions and the distinct operational autonomy of various entities within the resistance front, acknowledging the independence of Yemeni and Iraqi resistance fronts.