Tehran - Iran's Parliament speaker Ali Larijani on Sunday predicted Gaza will become a "cemetery" for Israel, and praised Palestinian resistance against the ground invasion of the Hamas-ruled territory.
"Fortunately the Zionists were faced with a strong defence by brave Palestinians and a massive blow was delivered," Larijani was quoted as saying by the state news agency IRNA.
"Zionists should know that Gaza will become their cemetery," he said.
Israeli ground forces invaded the Gaza Strip late on Saturday after an eight-day aerial bombing blitz that killed more than 460 Palestinians in an attempt to halt rocket and mortar fire from militants inside the enclave.
Tehran does not recognise Israel and is a staunch supporter of Hamas but rejects allegations that it supplies arms to the movement, saying it provides moral backing only.
Iran's revolutionary guards chief on Sunday ruled out providing military support to Hamas, saying "Gazan resistance does not need other countries' military help."
"It appears that they have the initial weapons to defend the city and the region," Mohammad Ali Jafari was quoted as saying by ISNA new agency.
Angry protests against the Israeli offensive have been staged across Iran, and some Islamist students have been pressing the authorities to allow them to go to Gaza to fight against Israel.
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei last week urged Muslims to punish Israel and said that anyone who died in the defence of Gaza would be deemed a martyr. - Sapa-AFP