The world has been shaken by the news of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s death, and reactions have been pouring in. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei expressed his sadness over the loss in a statement shared on his official X account on Saturday.
Khamenei called Sinwar’s death “painful” for the “Resistance Front” – a reference to a network of regional proxies backed by Iran, including Hamas – but vowed that the movement would continue.
The Front “did not stop its progress following the martyrdom of prominent figures,” he said, referring to previous Hamas leaders killed by Israel over the years. “Similarly, it will not waver with the martyrdom of Sinwar.”
In his message, addressed to Muslim nations and “the courageous youth of the region,” Khamenei praised Sinwar for devoting his life to the fight against Israel and said that “anything less than martyrdom would have been an unworthy fate” for the Hamas leader.
Sinwar, considered by Israel to be the main architect of the deadly Oct. 7 attack that sparked the Gaza war, was killed by Israeli forces during a routine ground patrol in Rafah, Israeli officials said. Hamas confirmed his death.
The tragedy has once again raised tensions in the Middle East and highlighted the complex issues that shape relations between the region’s various actors. Yahya Sinwar’s death marks a significant milestone, but the fight for recognition and justice remains at the forefront of the minds of supporters of the Palestinian cause.