Iran condemns Israeli military operation in Gaza

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast "strongly" condemned Israel's military operation in the Gaza Strip, semi-official Mehr news agency reported on Thursday. Mehmanparast also asked the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) member states to cut all the relations with Israel, according to Mehr. "The Islamic republic of Iran considers the criminal act of Zionist militants in killing the common people (of Palestine in Gaza) as an organized terrorism and condemns it strongly," he was quoted as saying. Further, the Iranian spokesman urged the international organizations and the human rights supporters break "silence" on the Israeli attack on the Palestinians. At least seven Palestinians were killed, including the commander of Hamas military wing Ahmed al-Jaabari, in a series of Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip Wednesday afternoon. The airstrikes came as Israel announced the beginning of a large-scale military operation in Gaza called "Operation Pillar of Defense." The conflict between Israel and the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip has been escalating in recent days. On Saturday, Palestinian militants fired an anti-tank missile at an Israeli Defense Forces patrol jeep, wounding four soldiers. In retaliation, the Israeli Air Force carried out several airstrikes on Palestinian targets in Gaza. Hamas launched more than 150 rockets and mortar shells into southern Israel in return.