General Soleimani: Who Was the Mastermind Behind Hamas' Military Victory Against Israel?
Recent events in the Middle East have brought about profound and definitive transformations that will undoubtedly shape the destiny of the West Asian region and reverberate across the globe. On October 7, 2023, a seismic incident unfolded, fundamentally altering the regional equilibrium. In a surprising turn of events, the Palestinian resistance forces launched a surprise assault on the Zionist regime, inflicting significant casualties and material losses on the enemy. Numerous Israeli military personnel were taken captive, while the resistance fighters secured invaluable military spoils.
The broadcasting of footage capturing this audacious attack through local and international media sent shockwaves throughout the world. Observers were astounded by the cowardly flight of the Zionists from the theater of conflict and the relentless advance of the Palestinian resistance forces into occupied 1948 territories. The scenes of the resistance forces' presence in occupied Palestinian cities and their utilization of trucks to remove warplanes dealt a deadly blow to Israel's military prestige. The Palestinians, a people who have long suffered the deprivation of their rights, the usurpation of their lands, and the weight of Israeli oppression bolstered by Western powers, achieved the unimaginable. The ignominious failure of the Israeli regime's security, intelligence, and military apparatus against the Palestinian resistance culminated in the shattering of the regime's erstwhile myth of invincibility.
This landmark military feat is not an isolated incident; it joins a pantheon of previous instances where the Iran-led Axis of Resistance has astounded the world. These instances include the 2005 battle for the liberation of Gaza, the 2021 Operation Al-Quds Sword, the Lebanese Islamic resistance's triumph against the Zionist regime in 2000, and the 33-day victory in Summer 2006. These episodes serve as a testament to the unwavering power and resolute determination of the Axis of Resistance.
The triumph of the Yemeni resistance and the decisive defeat of the ISIS terrorist organization at the hands of the resistance forces in Iraq and Syria, despite Western-Arab-Hebrew support extended to ISIS, unequivocally highlight that the Axis of Resistance will continue to shape and dictate the future geopolitical dynamics across West Asia.
When we inquire as to who is responsible for orchestrating and coordinating such a far-reaching front in the region, one name stands out: the late Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, the eminent leader of the IRGC's Quds Force.
The Axis of Resistance represents a regional coalition encompassing countries and political entities such as Iran, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon's Hezbollah. The primary objective of this resistance front is combating the Israeli occupation, eradicating Western hegemony within the West Asian region, and steadfastly defending the Palestinian cause. The term "Axis of Resistance" was coined in response to statements made in 2002 by the then notorious US President George Bush, who pejoratively labeled these nations as the "axis of evil."
This axis, which has organically evolved over the course of the past three decades, has materialized without the presence of a formal agreement or an institutionalized organizational structure. It emerged as a counterweight to US-Israeli vicious endeavors aimed at monopolizing power in the region and imposing unjust peace agreements that would favor the Zionists at the expense of Muslims in general and Palestinians in particular.
General Soleimani's illustrious background, forged in the Iran-Iraq war, where he commanded the 41st Army and spearheaded pivotal operations such as Valfajr-8, Karbala-4, and Karbala-5 Operations, endowed him with unmatched military prowess and complete familiarity with the exigencies of the battlefield. His post-war experiences, grappling with multifarious threats emanating from Iran's porous eastern borders, honed his acumen for even more formidable trials.
In the 33-day war, his intrepid and indefatigable spirit, coupled with his nuanced comprehension of asymmetrical warfare, turned the tide in favor of the Lebanese people and Hezbollah, confounding military strategists worldwide. General Soleimani astutely anticipated the reactions of the Israeli enemy and, in tandem with Imad Mughniyeh, orchestrated a complex operation that decimated an Israeli frigate and consigned dozens of Zionist sailors to the depths of hell.
Israelis' ire towards General Soleimani reached such heights that they attempted to assassinate him using drones and warplanes in the southern suburb of Beirut, but this failed. A pragmatic military commander, General Soleimani preferred to operate discreetly, eschewing the limelight. Following the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime and the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, Iran faced new threats from its western borders with Iraq. General Soleimani meticulously monitored the movements of US forces during those years in order to effectively thwart potential menaces.
It was in 2007 that the United States first publicly mentioned General Soleimani's name, following a failed military operation against the Quds Force.
In 2011, the United States, in concert with Western governments, the Israeli regime, and a few Arab regimes, seized an opportunity to weaken and effectuate a change in the democratically-elected government in Syria. Their primary aim was to sever the geographical link within the Axis of Resistance, positing that altering the ruling regime in Syria and introducing a military force would precipitate the collapse of the resistance front in the region.
Thus, tenaciously standing alongside the Syrian nation, providing inexorable support, and making the requisite sacrifices, General Soleimani became an indispensable and pivotal pillar of the Axis of Resistance. The axis encountered its most formidable obstacles during the Syrian crisis. However, once again, through Soleimani's military genius and the unwavering determination and unity of all factions within the resistance, an all-out military, psychological, and economic onslaught was successfully contained.
General Qasem Soleimani, renowned for his military genius and strategic acumen within the political and military arenas, succeeded in consolidating the Axis of Resistance. Harnessing the potential of the Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq, which were formed through an Islamic supreme authority fatwa, as well as the national defense forces in Syria, he effectively dismantled various terrorist groups, such as ISIS, within a span of six years.
Presently, reports and analyses emanating from Israeli quarters consistently underscore the key role played by Qasem Soleimani's strategic landscape in precipitating Israel's ultimate downfall. Although General Soleimani was callously martyred, his strategic roadmap endures and continues to be implemented by his disciples. The resistance front we behold today stands as a precious testament to the legacy of Soleimani and his tireless endeavors.
Even former US President Barack Obama, whose administration inadvertently contributed to the genesis of ISIS, acknowledged General Soleimani during a meeting with the then-Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in 2014, stating, "He is my enemy, but I have special respect for him."
General David H. Petraeus, the former head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Army and former director general of the CIA, similarly recognized General Soleimani's capabilities and resourcefulness, deeming him a formidable adversary. General Soleimani's competence was so remarkable that even his most ardent adversaries could not deny them. As long as the resistance front stands resolute against the evil forces, it owes its existence to the eternal legacy of General Soleimani.
