JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel is waging war against Hamas militants to effect permanent change and preserve its existence as a prosperous democracy, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said on Friday, describing the Palestinian faction as part of an “axis of evil” with Iran.
Asked during a news conference with his U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin whether Tehran consented to the weekend Hamas onslaught from Gaza, Gallant said: “It doesn’t matter … (because) the idea is an Iranian idea.”
(Writing by Dan Williams, Editing by Ari Rabinovitch)
