Iran military chief says Oct. 7 attack accelerated 'Israel’s decline'

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a session of the Israeli Parliament at the Knesset in Jerusalem on July 16, 2026, before the start of the election recess ahead of the October 27 general election. (AFP Photo)

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a session of the Israeli Parliament at the Knesset in Jerusalem on July 16, 2026, before the start of the election recess ahead of the October 27 general election. (AFP Photo)

The Hamas attack of Oct. 7, 2023, accelerated Israel’s decline, the chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces said Wednesday, as Israel marked the third anniversary of the attack.

“The Resistance Front turned its defensive strategy into an offensive strategy for the legitimate defense of the Palestinian people and their land and accelerated the decline of the Zionist regime,” Ali Abdollahi said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Abu Ubaida, spokesperson for the Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, said the attack shattered Israel’s “security doctrine.”

In a statement, Abu Ubaida described the Oct. 7 attack as a “military feat demonstrated through planning, execution, and sophisticated strategic deception.”

He said the attackers made use of “opportunities,” including what he called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “narcissism, arrogance, and underestimation” of his opponents.

Displaced Palestinians walk amid their temporary tents near destroyed buildings in Gaza City on October 7, 2026. (AFP Photo)

Netanyahu faces pressure over Oct. 7 failures

Israeli opposition figures have held Netanyahu responsible for what they describe as “the country’s biggest intelligence and military failure,” which prompted several security officials to resign.

Netanyahu has rejected calls for a state commission of inquiry into the Oct. 7 events, denied responsibility and placed blame on the military.

He also faces charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three major corruption cases.

The International Criminal Court has also issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu since 2024 on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the war in Gaza.