Dispute over identity of 12 reported killed by Hamas police force in Gaza
Samy Magdy and Kareem Chehayeb
©Associated Press
A unit of Gaza's Hamas-run police force says it has killed 12 members of an Israeli-backed Palestinian militia after detaining them, but an Israel-supported aid group said the dead were its workers.
It was not immediately possible to verify the competing claims or confirm the identities of those killed on Thursday.
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The Irish Sun
5 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Cops unveil new £180k bullet-proof battle machine – 18 armoured 4x4s to tackle extreme riots unveiled by Met
ARMOURED cars have been spotted cruising London's streets after cops splashed out on military 4x4s to tackle extreme rioting. With matte-grey paint, flashing blue lights and the word "police" on the side written in block capitals, the hefty vehicles are hard to miss. 8 A Metropolitan Police Plasan Sandcat Armoured Unit Patrol vehicle drives through Parliament Square on June 13 Credit: Getty 8 Eighteen vehicles have been bought, and they will be used to tackle rioting Credit: Getty 8 A man walks past flames as PSNI officers in riot gear respond to a third night of civil unrest on June 11, 2025 in Ballymena, Northern Ireland Credit: Getty Several of the military-grade tanks intended to tackle rioting have been spotted weaving between lanes in London. These are the "Sandcats" - the newest addition to the Met Police's fleet, estimated to cost around £180,000. The mammoth 9,000kg 4x4s can transport up to 11 officers and stands at 7ft 7in tall. The new armoured cars will be used for 'high-risk armed policing operations' and 18 have been ordered in total. Read more The Met Police said the new trucks aren't yet being used in operations. The force is currently training drivers, which is why they have been seen driving around London. A spokesperson said: 'These are specialist armoured vehicles used for high-risk armed policing operations, by officers deployed at airports and as a contingency option for use in the most serious public disorder the like of which we thankfully rarely see." Sandcats are manufactured by Israeli company Plasan and have been used by the military in several countries. Most read in The Sun According to the company website, the Sandcat Tigris is the preferred choice for both the IDF and Ministry of Defence. They replace the older Jankel models, which were deployed during the 2011 riots but have very rarely been used. Fourth night of violence as families forced to hide in attics in riots which injured 41 cops 8 Riot police hold back protesters after disorder broke out on July 30, 2024 in Southport Credit: Getty 8 Violent riots broke out across the UK last summer in the wake of misinformation about the Southport tragedy Credit: Getty The bullet-resistant Jankel Guardians that the force previously used cost about £100,000 each. The seven-tonne personnel carrier could withstand AK-47 bullets and had a bomb-proof floor. Over the past year or so, the UK has been rocked by disorder and rioting in the streets. This week, masked yobs lobbed petrol bombs and fireworks at cops across four days of chaos across Northern Ireland. Police described the riots as "racially-motivated hate attacks" with a senior officer slamming the scenes as "racist thuggery". Several houses even put up signs identifying their residents as British or Filipino in an apparent attempt to avoid being targeted. Violence originally erupted on Monday, stemming from an initially peaceful gathering to support a girl and her family after an alleged sexual assault. Girl 'whose sex assault by teen boys' sparked 'racist' riots wants violence to end as 4th night of carnage erupts By Emily Jane Davies A YOUNG girl whose sexual assault by teenage boys sparked riots across Northern Ireland has called for an end to the violence. Northern Ireland Police Chief Jon Boutcher said the girl had been "further traumatised" by the riots - as the fourth night of chaos unfolded yesterday. Police quickly clamped down on hundreds of rioters who were spotted throwing missiles and petrol bombs in Portadown - less than an hour from where the riots started - last night. Shocking footage showed thugs lobbing live fireworks at rows of police riot vans. The chaos began in Ballymena on Monday night, hours after two 14-year-old boys appeared in court charged with attempted rape of a girl. The boys confirmed their names - which cannot be reported - and their ages through a Romanian interpreter at Coleraine Magistrates' Court. Cops decried the mass carnage which followed as "racist thuggery". Northern Ireland's Chief Constable told how the girl's family had been left "mortified" by the horrific scenes. Speaking yesterday, he said: "I reiterate the retraumatising of this poor girl, she's been through enough through what happened to her on Saturday evening. She doesn't want any of this. "I know the family are mortified. I've spoken to them personally, they've asked me to make this plea.# "This girl's family and this girl want it to end. Our communities want it to end. We need it to end. "Stop this violence. We will come after you. We will arrest you. We will prosecute you successfully. "I want to specifically mention the 41 police officers who've been injured. Each of those officers have put themselves in harm's way to protect our communities. "It is not in any way a way for a civilised society to behave and it must stop now." Northern Ireland Police Chief Jon Boutcher said the girl had been Last summer, Britain was a tinderbox as widespread unrest and disorder broke out following misinformation about the Southport child killer. Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice Da Silva Aguiar were murdered in a knife attack and social media posts falsely claimed they were killed by an illegal migrant. The In 2020, Scotland Yard put out a notice saying it wanted to buy a new fleet of military-style trucks to tackle public disorder, firearms incidents and riots in the capital. It wanted security, fire-fighting and defence equipment and armour plating. Last year, it was reported that The gas-guzzling 4x4 beasts are used by military specialists in warzones and by police tackling in South America . Yet, Police Scotland's bulletproof Sandcat has been locked in storage collecting dust for two years. Insiders have previously claimed the reason it has remained idle is from a lack of officers able to drive it, with regular training needed to operate it. The force has refused to comment on how many of its staff can use the 4x4 Sandcat. Underneath the Sandcat's hood lies a huge 6.7-litre Although the armoured car hasn't seen any action, the force still believes it's necessary to keep it. A Police Scotland spokesperson said at the time: "The specialist vehicle can be used in a number of scenarios linked to a major incident and improves our options to keep people safe. "While it has not yet been deployed to a major incident, it has been used for training purposes and it provides additional operational capabilities." 8 Firefighters tend to a burning police car burns as officers are deployed on the streets of Hartlepool following a violent protest last summer Credit: PA 8 Riot police hold back protesters near a burning police vehicle after disorder broke out on July 30, 2024 in Southport Credit: Getty 8 Alice Dasilva Aguiar, Elsie Dot Stancombe, and Bebe King were killed by 18-year-old Axel Rudakubana in Southport - and widespread rioting took place in the weeks after Credit: AFP
Irish Daily Mirror
9 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Huge explosions heard booming across city as Israel attacks Iran
The head of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard had died following a major Israeli attack. General Hossein Salami, one other top Guard official, and two nuclear scientists have been killed in several strikes on nuclear and military sites across Tehran, Iran's capital. Explosions have been heard thundering across the city this morning. Israel's Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has confirmed his country is carrying out "preemptive strikes" in a major escalation of geopolitical trouble in the Middle East. Israel has also declared a state of emergency, which is likely to order citizens "to stay in protected areas" incase of retaliation. An Israeli attack on Iran has also set the headquarters of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard ablaze, state television reports. Iran's Revolutionary Guard, created after its 1979 Islamic Revolution, is one of the main power centres within the country's theocracy. It also controls Iran's arsenal of ballistic missiles, which it has used to attack Israel twice during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. For live updates, follow our blog below... The Prime Minister will chair a COBRA meeting with his cabinet and senior officials later today, Downing Street has confirmed. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has replaced two top military commanders killed in a wave of Israeli strikes on Friday. State TV said he tapped Gen Abdolrahim Mousavi as the new head of the armed forces, replacing Gen Mohammad Bagheri. Mousavi was previously the top army commander. Khamenei chose Mohammad Pakpour to lead the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, replacing Gen Hossein Salami. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has described Israel's missile strikes on key military and nuclear targets as a "declaration of war". He also said he believed the White House had been involved in the operation, and that Israel could not have carried out the strikes without US permission and coordination. Israel's Mossad spy agency smuggled weapons into Iran ahead of last night strikes to target the country from within, sources have claimed. Two security officials spoke on condition of anonymity to the Associated Press said a base for launching explosive drones was established inside Iran. These drones were activated during the attack to target missile launchers at an Iranian base near Tehran, while precision weapons were also planted near surface-to-air missile systems. The Israeli defence ministry has not yet confirmed the reports. In the last half hour, residents of Tabriz in northwestern Iran have reported missile strikes in the area. Images shared on social media show a large plume of smoke on the outskirts of the city. همین الان یه حمله دیگه ، حاشیه #تبریز NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has called on Israel's Western allies this morning to press for an end to the strikes. Speaking in Stockholm alongside Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, he said: "This was a unilateral action by Israel. So I think it is crucial for many allies, including the United States, to work as we speak to de-escalate." Asked whether a nuclear clash might be imminent in the region, Rutte said: "No, we are not close." A Labour minister has said the Government is urging for "constraint, restraint and de-escalation" after Israeli strikes targeted Iran's nuclear programme. Industry minister Sarah Jones was grilled in a TV interview this morning as she urged for "calm" at this "dangerous moment" - echoing the Prime Minister's call for "all parties to step back". Earlier, Prime Minister Keir Starmer "urged all parties to step back" after the Israeli strikes targeting Iran's nuclear programme - and there's been more reaction from the government and opposition this morning. Foreign Secretary David Lammy described the exchange of fire as "concerning", and said stability in the Middle East was "vital" for global security. Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said: "People across the UK and the world will be fearing the break-out of widespread regional conflict in the Middle East, following Israel's strikes overnight. "The UK must work with allies to contain Iran's nuclear ambitions through diplomacy, not war. "The UK Government should urge both Israel and Iran not to do anything that will escalate the situation any further. "International leadership is needed now." Israeli media is now reporting that all Iranian drones fired in retaliation for last night's attacks have been intercepted successfully. Air raid warnings in place in a number of towns and cities have now been lifted. Talks between US and Iranian officials over Tehran's nuclear programme had been due to take place this weekend. This week, Donald Trump had warned of the risk of a "massive conflict" soon if the discussions, aimed at halting Iran's development of weapons-grade nuclear technology, broke down. But following the missile strikes overnight by Israel, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the White House was "not involved" in the operation and said the country had acted "unilaterally". The Israeli military says it has completed a widespread attack on air defences in western Iran. A spokesperson said this morning that it had destroyed dozens of radar installations and surface-to-air missile launchers. The head of Iran's atomic agency chief has told state media this morning that Natanz nuclear facility has been completely destroyed following an Israeli missile strike last night. The site, which is officially used for uranium enrichment, forms an integral part of Iran's controversial nuclear programme. Israel's military says it has started intercepting Iranian drones this morning with its air defence system. Earlier, the military said Iran had launched more than 100 drones at Israel in retaliation for strikes on Tehran and other cities. An Israeli official said the interceptions are taking place outside of Israeli territory. Senior figures in Iran have already begun pointing the finger at the US for last night's missile strikes by Israel, though White House officials have said they were "not involved". Earlier, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel took "unilateral action against Iran", and warned Tehran not to target U.S. forces in retaliation. In the last half hour, Jordanian state media has said the country's Air Force is intercepting missiles and drones in its air space. We've now recieved video from the Iranian capital of ran, showing residential buildings and cars burnt out following the missile strikes overnight. Photographs are beginning to emerge from the Iranian capital, Tehran, showing some of the damage from last night's missile strikes by Israel. Iranian authorities have vowed to retaliate this morning, and are said to have launched 100 drones towards Israel. Some of these have already been intercepted over neighbouring states. We've already heard that Air India has been forced to cancel and divert flights due to the situation in the Middle East - and in the last few moments, Emirates have also confirmed major changes to their flight schedules. An Air India spokesman said: 'Due to the emerging situation in Iran, the subsequent closure of its airspace and in view of the safety of our passengers, some of the Air India flights are either being diverted or are returning to their origin.'They gave details of some of the flights affected, including Flight AI130 - London Heathrow-Mumbai - which was diverted to AI129 – Mumbai-London Heathrow - and AI119 - Mumbai-New York returned to AI2018 – London Heathrow-Delhi - was diverted to AI102 -- New York-Delhi - was diverted to Sharjah, while AI116 – New York-Mumbai to Jeddah. Multiple sites around Iran were hit by Israeli forces last night, including Iran's main nuclear enrichment facility, where black smoke could be seen rising into the air. The leader of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Gen Hossein Salami, was confirmed dead, as was the chief of staff of Iranian armed forces, Gen. Mohammad Bagheri. The missile strikes - which took advantage of Iran's weakened air defences following a previous military exchange last year - were distributed across the country, including the capital Tehran, Tabriz, Kermanshah, and Isfahan-Natanz Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said he was "concerned" to learn of Israeli strikes targeting Iran's nuclear programme overnight."Stability in the Middle East is vital for global security," he said in a post on X."I'm concerned to see reports of strikes overnight. Further escalation is a serious threat to peace & stability in the region and in no one's interest."This is a dangerous moment & I urge all parties to show restraint." Air India - who are still dealing with the fallout of a major air disaster yesterday - has diverted 11 flights and returned another five to the airports they departed from after Iran closed its airspace in response to the Israeli strikes. Among the flights affected was an Air India flight from Mumbai to London, which was forced to make a mid-air to flight-tracking platform Flightradar24, the Iranian airspace is now completely departed from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Friday morning but turned back halfway through and returned to Mumbai, according to real-time data from airport spokesman said: 'This was undertaken as a precaution because of the Iranian airspace closure.' In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the International Atomic Energy Agency said it was "closely monitoring the deeply concerning situation in Iran". The watchdog confirmed that Iran's primary nuclear enrichment site at Natanz had been hit in the strikes overnight, and said they were in touch with authorities over radiation levels in the surrounding area. Keir Starmer has described reports of new hostilities between Israel and Iran as "concerning" and has urged "all parties to step back and reduce tensions urgently", adding that "now is the time for restraint, calm and a return to diplomacy". Israeli military spokesman Brig Gen Effie Deffrin said that 200 Israeli fighter jets participated in the operation overnight, striking some 100 targets. He said the attacks were continuing today. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard has launched around 100 drones towards Israel, according to the IDF. Overnight, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel targeted Iran's main enrichment facility in Natanz and the country's ballistic missile programme, as well as top nuclear scientists and officials. Israel's waves of aerial strikes on Iran has claimed the life of another leading figure in their military. Iranian media has confirmed that General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, was also killed in Israel's continued bombardment. Bagheri has been identified as a key figure in the IRGC Command Network, which conducts covert operations inside and outside Iran. President Donald Trump was aware of the strikes beforehand, according to reports. Mr Trump: 'Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb and we are hoping to get back to the negotiating table. We will see. There are several people in leadership that will not be coming back." The latter was a reference to some of the Iranian leaders who were killed tonight by Israel. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel took 'unilateral action against Iran' and that Israel advised the US that it believed the strikes were necessary for its self-defense. "We are not involved in strikes against Iran, and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region," Rubio said in a statement released by the White House. Mr Trump is scheduled to attend a meeting of his National Security Council on Friday in the White House Situation Room, were he is expected to discuss the conflict with top advisers. It is not clear if he plans to make public remarks on the strikes. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Friday that Israel will face a 'severe punishment' over its attack on the country. Khamenei issued a statement carried by the state-run IRNA news agency. It confirmed that top military officials and scientists had been killed in the attack. Israel 'opened its wicked and blood-stained hand to a crime in our beloved country, revealing its malicious nature more than ever by striking residential centers,' Khamenei said. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is "closely monitoring the deeply concerning situation in Iran," it said Friday. "The IAEA … can confirm Natanz site among targets. The Agency is in contact with Iranian authorities regarding radiation levels. We are also in contact with our inspectors in the country," Director-General Rafael Grossi said.
The Irish Sun
14 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Israel v Iran LIVE: Middle East braced for all-out war as Tehran's nuke sites hit by missiles & top generals killed
THE Middle East stands on the brink of all-out war after Israel unleashed a massive wave of missile strikes on Iranian soil. Israeli forces targeted Tehran's nuclear facilities and killed top military and scientific figures in a lightning offensive dubbed Operation Rising Lion. Advertisement 3 Smoke rises up after an explosion in Tehran, Iran on Friday Credit: AP 3 Smoke rises from a damaged building in the aftermath of Israeli strikes Credit: Reuters 3 A building in Tehran hit in an Israeli strike on the Iranian capital early in the morning Credit: AFP In a ferocious show of force, around 200 Israeli fighter jets roared across Iranian skies early Friday, dropping 330 munitions on 100 high-value targets, including uranium enrichment plants and key command centres. The Israeli military called the blitz a 'pre-emptive, precise, combined offensive based on high-quality intelligence' and confirmed it had struck nuclear and missile sites across the country. The IDF said in a statement: 'Dozens of IAF jets completed the first stage that included strikes on dozens of military targets, including nuclear targets in different areas of Iran.' Iran has vowed "severe punishment", calling the strikes a 'cowardly' act of aggression as fears mount of a devastating counterstrike. Advertisement In a fiery statement, Tehran said the assault 'shows why Iran insists on enrichment, nuclear technology, and missile power,' framing the attack as proof of its need for deterrence. A 'special state of emergency' is now in effect in Israel. Air raid sirens blared across the country in the early hours, with residents jolted awake by alerts warning of an imminent missile and drone attack. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the assault vital to "roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival", vowing the campaign would last 'as many days as it takes to remove the threat.' Advertisement Most read in The Sun Latest He accused Tehran of advancing toward a nuclear weapon, claiming Iran had enriched enough uranium for 'nine atom bombs.' 'In recent months, Iran has taken steps that it has never taken before – steps to weaponize this enriched uranium,' Netanyahu said. 'This is a clear and present danger to Israel's very survival.' Explosions rocked military sites northeast of Tehran, including the Mahalati complex. Advertisement Revolutionary Guard commander Hossein Salami, top nuclear scientist Fereydoun Abbasi, theoretical physicist Dr Mohammed Mehdi Tehranchi, and Major General Gholam Ali Rashid were among those killed. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused Israel of targeting residential areas, saying: 'In the enemy's attacks, a number of commanders and scientists were martyred. 'Their successors and colleagues will immediately continue their duties.' The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed the Natanz nuclear facility was struck and said it was in contact with Iranian officials regarding radiation concerns. Advertisement U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted Washington was not involved, though he said 'necessary steps' were being taken to protect American personnel in the region. 'Let me be clear: Iran should not target US interests or personnel,' Rubio warned. Read more on the Irish Sun He backed Israel's right to self-defence, saying it 'believes the strikes are necessary.' Stay up to date with the latest on Israel vs Iran with The Sun's live blog Advertisement
