TEHRAN: A senior adviser to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei expressed support for an attack Hamas launched against Israel on Saturday, calling it a "proud operation".

"We support the proud operation of Al-Aqsa Flood," Yahya Rahim Safavi said at a meeting held in support of Palestinian children in Tehran, quoted by ISNA news agency.

"We support this operation, and we are sure that the resistance front also supports this issue," said Safavi, who is senior general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Hamas launches surprise attack as gunmen enter Israel

The Palestinian group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, launched barrages of rockets at Israel from dawn on Saturday as its separatists crossed into Israel.

At least 22 people have been killed in Israel so far during the violence, according to the latest toll issued by Israeli medics.

Safavi expressed backing for the Palestinian separatists "until the liberation of Palestine and Jerusalem".

At a parliament session on Saturday, Iranian lawmakers chanted "Down with Israel", "Down with America", and "Welcome Palestine", according to a video published by Tasnim news agency.

Iran, which hosted leaders of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in June, considers Israel its arch enemy.

The two sides have for years been engaged in a shadow war, with Iran accusing Israel of a series of sabotage attacks and assassinations targeting its nuclear programme.

The United States and Israel have previously accused Iran of using drones and missiles to attack US forces and Israel-linked ships in the Gulf.