Iran’s supreme leader lauds American university protesters

University students protesting in the United States are standing on the right side of history, Iranian Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei posted to social media on Wednesday. University protesters have formed a new resistance front and are in an honorable struggle against governmental pressure, he added. The posts are excerpts from an open letter to students penned by Khamenei on Saturday. When the support of the Ayatollah is won, America is lost, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson wrote in response to Khamenei’s tweets.

What else does the open letter say? The Palestinian goal is to end the oppression and brutality of the Zionist terrorist network, Khamenei said. He alleged that Israel established the so-called “Zionist network” by importing several thousand terrorists into Palestinian lands who murdered and displaced tens of thousands of people. A different fate awaits the region because truth is coming to light and history is turning a page, Khamenei wrote. He ended by advising readers to become familiar with the Quran.

Is Israel still preparing for an invasion of Rafah? Israel has continued operations in Rafah despite an order from the United Nations International Court of Justice last week to stop all military activity in the region. Israel is operating on precise intelligence with targeted raids and not simply smashing into Rafah, said Israel Defense Forces Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari in a Wednesday update. Israel is also continually assessing and adjusting operations to minimize civilian harm, he added. The emphasis on civilian safety comes days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged a tragic mistake by Israel that resulted in the deaths of dozens of civilians over the weekend.

Is Hamas even still in Rafah? Hamas is in Rafah and has been holding Israeli hostages in Rafah, Hagari said. The IDF has found dozens of rockets with launchers next to the border with Egypt, along with over 8 miles of underground tunnels, Hagari said. Soldiers found anti-tank missiles, AK-47s, and other explosives in the tunnels, he added. IDF soldiers fought Hamas operatives in the tunnels at close combat, Hagari said. Three IDF soldiers died, but about 300 terrorists have been eliminated from the operations in Rafah, Hagari said.

Dig deeper: Read Josh Schumacher’s report on Israel, giving more details about civilian deaths in Rafah.