'Secret documents' link Iran to October 7 attack; it responds
Iran has denied any involvement in Hamas's surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The attack left an estimated 1,200 dead and around 250 hostages taken. The denial came after a report by The New York Times suggested that "secret documents" obtained by the Israeli military indicated a potential link between Iran and the attack. The documents were believed to show Hamas's efforts to persuade its allies—Iran and Hezbollah—to participate in the attack.
Iran dismisses claims of involvement as baseless
The Iranian Permanent Mission to the United Nations rejected these allegations, saying that "any claim attempting to link it to Iran or Hezbollah—either partially or wholly—is devoid of credence and comes from fabricated documents." Iranian officials further clarified that the planning and execution of this operation was solely done by Hamas's military wing in Gaza.
Alleged documents suggest potential Iranian support
The documents cited by The New York Times reportedly included minutes of secret Hamas meetings ahead of the October 7 attack. According to these documents, in July 2023, Hamas sent a high official to Lebanon to meet with a senior Iranian commander and request help in hitting sensitive targets at the start of the planned attack. A senior Iranian commander reportedly expressed support for the attack but said it needed more preparation time.
Iranian leadership's alleged unawareness of attack plans
The Washington Post also reported on other documents that indicated plans for a more extensive assault against Israel, including skyscrapers, railways, a shopping mall, and theater, among other locations. The document discussed the feasibility of transforming fishing vessels into explosive-laden attack ships and employing horse-drawn assault carriages, among other proposals. Iranian officials have repeatedly asserted that, while Iran supports Palestinian resistance groups, it had no prior knowledge of the attack on Israel and had no role in its execution.
