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Newly obtained documents suggest that Hamas had initially planned its brutal attack on southern Israel for September 2022, but delayed the assault as it sought military and financial backing from Iran and Hezbollah. International media reports, including from *The New York Times*, cite minutes from meetings and correspondence between Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, and Iranian officials, detailing the planning process for the devastating October 7, 2023 attack.

 

The attack, which led to mass civilian casualties, was reportedly years in the making. A series of meetings took place between January 2022 and August 2023, during which Hamas leadership outlined logistics for a large-scale cross-border operation. These discussions also included outreach to Iran and Hezbollah, with the aim of securing their involvement.

 

According to reports, Sinwar communicated directly with Tehran, seeking financial and military aid. In one letter from June 2021, Sinwar requested substantial financial support, writing, “We promise you that we will not waste a minute or a penny unless it takes us toward achieving this sacred goal.” Iran apparently granted the request, as the *Wall Street Journal* reported a letter confirming $10 million in support from an Iranian official. Additional funds, totaling $500 million, were requested for future operations, with a $20 million per month transfer plan.

 

The attack strategy included high-profile targets such as military command centers, shopping malls, and Tel Aviv's Azrieli Towers, where Hamas envisioned a 9/11-style assault on the towers. However, according to meeting minutes from August 2023, the group ultimately discarded this idea after determining they lacked the necessary resources to carry out such a massive operation.

 

As planning intensified, Khalil Al-Hayya, Sinwar’s deputy, traveled to Lebanon in July 2023 to coordinate with Mohammad Said Izadi, a senior official in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Although Iran and Hezbollah were reportedly supportive of the attack plan, Izadi stressed the need for more time to “prepare the environment.” Despite Iran and Hezbollah’s initial interest, Hamas proceeded with the attack without direct involvement from either ally. However, Hezbollah launched missile fire on Israel the following day, further escalating the conflict.

 

The documents, discovered on a computer in a Hamas control center in Khan Younis, were verified by both *The New York Times* and an internal report by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Additional materials, obtained by *The Washington Post* and *The Wall Street Journal*, emphasize Iran’s financial backing for the operation, though neither publication was able to independently verify all the details. 

 

Not willing to take any chances, the Hamas officials decided that only those who needed to know would know about their intentions. As such, The Times stated, the terror group’s leadership in Qatar was kept mostly in the dark, and only its since-assassinated political leader Ismail Haniyeh was informed of the covert meetings with Iranian and Hezbollah officials.

 

Despite their apparent willingness to participate, Hamas ultimately proceeded without the direct assistance of Iran or Hezbollah — although the Lebanese terror group joined the fray with missile fire of its own just one day later, spiraling into the current war on that front.

 

The revelations highlight the deep strategic planning behind Hamas's 2023 attack, underscoring the terror group’s efforts to enlist regional allies in its assault on Israel. As Hamas moved forward with its deadly attack, it unleashed a wave of violence that drew in Hezbollah and further destabilized the region, igniting a broader conflict that continues to unfold.

 

Based on a reports from TOI | NYT | WP | WSJ  2024-10-14