Israel’s Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz told an influential Knesset committee on Monday that Iran was working to upgrade the military capabilities of the Hamas terror group in the Gaza Strip.
Speaking to the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Monday, Katz said: “In recent days, while we face the known threat from Gaza, there is a direct Iranian intervention. Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas are involved in operative preparations to upgrade the threat to Israel from the direction of Gaza.”
The Islamic Republic was increasing its involvement in the Gaza Strip after Hamas was forced to leave Qatar, following pressure from Saudi Arabia, Katz told the committee, according to a report by the Jerusalem Post.
“This meeting is under the shadow of a four-letter word: I-R-A-N,” he minister told the committee.
“It’s amazing how everything has to do with Iran,” Katz continued. “Whether it’s their nuclear aspirations and the need to prevent them from developing nuclear weapons… the attempt to improve its military preparedness in Syria, training Shi’ite militias [or] actions improving Hezbollah missiles.”
“In a short time we will see ourselves fighting a much more challenging threat on the operative and military levels if we don’t change direction,” the Post quoted the minister as saying. READ MORE
