This story was originally published by the WND News Center.

Iran long has been known to be a sponsor of terrorism, including that inflicted by Hamas.

While its exact participation in that terror group's Oct. 7 massacre of hundreds of innocent Israeli civilians isn't sure yet, it appears there was direct involvement.

For example, a column at RedState.com charges that the Hamas terror ranks were given "specialized" combat training in Iran in preparation for the attack on Israel.

Iran and Hamas share ideologies in that both have pledged themselves to the eradication of the Jewish state.

The column explained a Wall Street Journal article cited evidence of the training program.

Explained RedState, "This revelation shatters any lingering doubts about Iran’s role in bringing about the attack, which killed over 1,000 Israelis, many of whom were non-combatants."

The WSJ said, "In the weeks leading up to Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel, hundreds of the Palestinian Islamist militant group’s fighters received specialized combat training in Iran, according to people familiar with intelligence related to the assault."

The report continued, "Roughly 500 militants from Hamas and an allied group, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, participated in the exercises in September, which were led by officers of the Quds Force, the foreign-operations arm of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the people said. Senior Palestinian officials and Iranian Brig. Gen. Esmail Qaani, the head of Quds Force, also attended, they said."

The report pointed out that some Hamas terrorists invaded Israel by riding motorcycles, a strategy not before used by Hamas, but which is common for Iranian terrorists.

Israel, in response, has been conducting air strikes on specific Hamas targets in Gaza and has confirmed plans are developed for a ground invasion.

Israeli officials have stated their goal at this point is the demolition of Hamas.

RedState reported, "Earlier this month, another report revealed that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah met with Iranian officials in March to discuss a military offensive against Israel. The group has engaged in skirmishes with Israeli forces in the northern part of the country and has indicated it might ramp up its attacks against the Jewish state. It was also revealed that Iranian security officials assisted Hamas in planning the October 7 attack on Israel. Senior members of Hamas and Hezbollah said the regime gave the go-ahead for the assault at a meeting in Beirut. However, U.S. officials still claim the regime did not participate in the planning of the attack."