
Two IRGC personnel killed defusing explosives in Iran
The Tasnim news agency, citing a statement from the IRGC, said that "two members of the Guards were killed on Sunday in Khorramabad while clearing the area of explosives left by the Zionist regime's aggression".
The Fars news agency also reported on Sunday the death of an Iranian soldier in Yazd, central Iran, from injuries sustained during Israel's strikes on the country.
Twelve days of attacks between Israel and Iran, sparked off by an Israeli assault on 13 June, left more than 900 dead in Iran and 28 dead in Israel.
A ceasefire between the two countries took effect on 24 June.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
On Saturday evening, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, participated in a religious ceremony in Tehran, his first appearance since the truce.
On Thursday, Iran announced the reopening of its airspace, including over Tehran, which had been closed on the first day of the war.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Middle East Eye
2 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Two IRGC personnel killed defusing explosives in Iran
Two members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC) have been killed while attempting to defuse explosives left over after Israel's attacks in June. The Tasnim news agency, citing a statement from the IRGC, said that "two members of the Guards were killed on Sunday in Khorramabad while clearing the area of explosives left by the Zionist regime's aggression". The Fars news agency also reported on Sunday the death of an Iranian soldier in Yazd, central Iran, from injuries sustained during Israel's strikes on the country. Twelve days of attacks between Israel and Iran, sparked off by an Israeli assault on 13 June, left more than 900 dead in Iran and 28 dead in Israel. A ceasefire between the two countries took effect on 24 June. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters On Saturday evening, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, participated in a religious ceremony in Tehran, his first appearance since the truce. On Thursday, Iran announced the reopening of its airspace, including over Tehran, which had been closed on the first day of the war.


Middle East Eye
2 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Hebron locals denounce sheikhs' plan to declare independence and recognise Israel
Palestinian residents of the occupied West Bank city of Hebron have disavowed a proposal by five purported local "sheikhs" to sever ties with the Palestinian Authority (PA) and establish an "emirate of Hebron" which would recognise the state of Israel. The outrage was sparked by a Wall Street Journal article reporting that "five sheikhs" from Hebron penned a letter to the Israeli Economy Minister Nir Barkat, backing Israel as a Jewish state and proposing to establish their own emirate and join normalisation agreements with Israel. The letter further suggested the creation of an Israeli-West Bank industrial zone and pledged "zero tolerance" for "terrorism by Palestinian workers". "Accepting Israel as a Jewish state goes further than the Palestinian Authority ever has, and sweeps aside decades of rejectionism," the report said. According to the report, the initiative was helmed by Wadee' al-Jaabari, who local city residents and its political leadership claim is unknown to them, and backed by "four other leading Hebron sheikhs". New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Palestinian city residents, including Jaabari's extended family members, roundly condemned the proposal, saying that its authors do not represent them. Hebron-based activist and journalist Issa Amro said that the proposal and its authors are "complete fabrications". "The so-called 'Hebron sheikhs' in this WSJ piece are complete fabrications - anonymous figures with zero political presence, social standing, family ties and community recognition," he told Middle East Eye. 'This isn't journalism - it's inventing Palestinian 'leaders' to fit an artificial narrative while real Hebronites endure occupation' - Issa Amro, Hebron activist "No media, no clans, no Palestinian factions acknowledge them because they simply don't exist as consequential actors. This isn't journalism - it's inventing Palestinian 'leaders' to fit an artificial narrative while real Hebronites endure occupation," he added. Local political figures also expressed surprise at the report, noting that the authors of the letter had no real influence in the city and that Jaabari in fact lives in Jerusalem. Jaabari's own family issued a statement denouncing the plan, saying that it "in no way represent the position of our respected family and does not reflect the will of its members". "The Jaabari family has always been – and remains – part of the Palestinian national fabric, justly struggling for freedom and independence. We reject all attempts to normalise the occupation or grant it legitimacy." The family told Haaretz that Jaabari "is known for his ties to settlers and Israeli institutions, which primarily serve his personal and business interests", and that his initiative enjoys "no public support". In a post on X, Amro said the WSJ report "names no verifiable sources and ignores documented power structures" and constitutes "either shockingly poor journalism or deliberate misinformation". "At a time when Hebron faces very real challenges - from expanding settlements to military closures - this fictional narrative does a grave disservice to readers and Palestinians alike," he said.


Khaleej Times
3 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Hosting Brics, Brazil's president hits out at 'genocide' in Gaza
Brazil's president insisted the world must act to stop what he described as an Israeli "genocide" in Gaza, as leaders from 11 emerging Brics nations gathered in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday. "We cannot remain indifferent to the genocide carried out by Israel in Gaza, the indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians and the use of hunger as a weapon of war," President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told leaders from China, India, and other nations. His comments came as Gaza truce talks between Israel and Hamas resumed in Doha, and as pressure mounted to end the 22-month war, which began with Hamas's October 7, 2023, attacks. Lula said on Sunday that "absolutely nothing could justify the terrorist actions" of Hamas on that day -- which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly Israeli civilians. But he also offered fierce criticism of Israel's subsequent actions. Israel's retaliatory campaign has killed at least 57,418 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry. The United Nations considers the figures reliable. The Brics gathering includes Israel's arch foe Iran, but also nations like Russia, which have close ties with the country. Brics countries have been in disagreement over how strongly to denounce Israel's bombing of Iran and its actions in Gaza. But one diplomatic source said the text would give the "same message" that Brics delivered last month. Then Iran's allies expressed "grave concern" about strikes against Iran, but did not explicitly mention Israel or the United States. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to visit the White House on Monday for talks with US President Donald Trump, who is pushing to end the war and has said he hopes for a ceasefire deal in the coming week.