JAKARTA - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday stressed that Tehran was not behind Hamas' attack on Israel, but praised what he called Israel's military and intelligence defeat.
"We kissed those who planned an attack on the Zionist regime," Khamenei said.
"This destructive earthquake (Hamas attack) has destroyed several important buildings (in Israel) that cannot be easily repaired. The actions of the Zionist regime itself are to blame for this disaster," Khamenei said.
Khamenei said Israel's attack on Gaza would "launch a much larger flow of anger".
"The occupation regime is trying to present itself as a victim to further increase its crime. This is a wrong calculation. This will result in a bigger disaster," Khamenei explained.
Israel is known to have long accused Iran's rulers of fueling violence by supplying weapons to Hamas. Tehran, which does not recognize Israel, said it provided moral and financial support to the group that controls the Gaza Strip.
Earlier, the United States said on Monday Iran was involved in Hamas' attack on Israel, but added that it did not have intelligence or evidence in support of this statement.
The day before, Iran's Mission to the United Nations said on Sunday it was not involved in Hamas' attack on Gaza the day before, leading to hundreds of people being killed and held hostage.
"The decisive step taken by Palestine is a fully legitimate defense against the typical occupation of seven decades and the heinous crimes committed by the unlawful Zionist regime," Iran's mission at the United Nations said in a statement.
"We firmly support Palestine, however, we are not involved in the Palestinian response, because it is only done by Palestine itself," explained Iran's mission at the United Nations.
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Separately, Israel's TV channel said the death toll from the Hamas attack had risen to 900, and at least 2,600 people were injured.
Meanwhile, Gaza's Ministry of Health said at least 687 Palestinians were killed and 3,726 injured in Israeli airstrikes in the blockaded enclave since Saturday.
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