Middle East latest: Worshippers in Tehran chant 'death to Israel' after strike; man 'carrying explosives' arrested at Iranian consulate in Paris (2024)

The US has imposed sanctions on two entities that it said helped raise tens of thousands of dollars for two violent extremists in the West Bank.

One of the entities, Mount Hebron Fund, launched an online fundraising campaign that raised $140,000 for settler Yinon Levi.

Levi had led a group of settlers that assaulted Palestinian and Bedouin civilians, burned their fields and destroyed their property.

The second entity, Shlom Asiraich, raised $31,000 on a crowdfunding website for David Chai Chasdai.

The United States says Chasdai initiated and led a riot that included setting vehicles and buildings on fire and causing damage to property in Huwara, resulting in the death of a Palestinian civilian.

Washington previously sanctioned five settlers and two unauthorised outposts in the West Bank in two rounds of sanctions.

"Such acts by these organisations undermine the peace, security, and stability of the West Bank. We will continue to use our tools to hold those responsible accountable," deputy secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo said.

Things appear to be business as usual for many Iranians in Isfahan, where Israel's drone attack targeted a major military base.

Here we can see members of the public shopping at Isfahan Bazaar and relaxing near the Zayandeh Rud River and Naqsh-e Jahan Square.

Israel has reminded Iran that its "highly sensitive facilities" are "within reach of the long Israeli arm", a senior diplomat has said.

The Israeli military have "left their calling card", Sir Richard Dalton added.

But the UK's former ambassador to Iran and Libya also told Sky News he wanted to "utter a word of caution".

He commented: "Is it really over? Israel might have something else that it wants to do.

"And there will be disappointment amongst the more hawkish in Israel that this slap on the wrist of Iran was not more serious."

However, Sir Richard said he thought Israel had "shown much better judgement on this occasion than it did in launching this cycle of retaliation on the 1st of April with its reckless and unlawful attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus".

Senior Iranian military commanders were killed in that strike - which was allegedly carried out by Israel.

Iran has said it launched missiles and drones towards Israel on Saturday in response to Israel's alleged actions in the Syrian capital.

Regarding the apparent Israeli strike in Iran, Sir Richard said he hopes it was a "good omen for future relationships between Israel and its United States partner, that while emphasising the independence of their decision making, nevertheless, the Israeli war cabinet decided to heed the advice not to undertake significant escalation".

A short while ago, we brought you news of a man arrested in Paris who was threatening to blow himself up at the Iranian consulate.

Police searches have now found he was not carrying explosives.

A police source told Reuters news agency the man was seen at about 11am local time entering the consulate, carrying what appeared to be a grenade and explosive vest.

The area was cordoned off, and the man was arrested after leaving the consulate.

French TV channel BFM said the man was carrying replica grenades.

A police source said the same man was suspected of attempted arson near the Iranian consulate in an incident last September.

Le Parisien newspaper said on its website that, according to several witnesses, the man had dragged flags on the floor of the consulate and said he wanted to avenge the death of his brother.

It is unclear whether the incident is linked to the current tensions between Iran and Israel.

The US was given a last-minute warning from Israel about the drone attack against Iran, according to Italy's foreign minister.

Although the US has been tight-lipped over the matter, Italy's Antonio Tajani said American officials briefed G7 ministers in a closed-door session.

"There was no sharing of the attack by the US," he said.

"It was mere information."

Mr Tajani, who was chairing the meeting, said the US provided the information at a session this morning that was changed at the last minute to address the suspected attack.

"There is a group of Italians who live in the city where the drones arrived and everyone is okay, they say that life has restarted regularly," he added.

Worshippers in Tehran have gathered at a demonstration just hours after an apparent Israeli strike in Iran.

People chanted "death to Israel", "death to America" and "death to Zionists", while waving Iranian and Palestinian flags.

One man said:"They (Israelis) didn't do anything special, based off what I heard from news agencies.

"I don't think they have the courage to do anything after Iran's successful strike."

Israel has not commented on this morning's attack but sources have told our US partner NBC News that it was behind the strike.

It was launched in retaliation to Iran's missile and drone attack on Israel last weekend, which came after two of its generals were killed in a strike on its embassy in Syria on 1 April.

A man has been arrested at the Iranian consulate in Paris after claiming to be carrying explosives, our French partner network BFM reports.

French police earlier cordoned off the building after reports of a "suspicious man".

A Paris police official said the man was spotted around 11 am local time (9am UK time) and officers launched a special operation as soon as they were alerted.

The man's motives were not immediately clear.

Special intervention police have been mobilised to deal with the incident, it added.

We are still waiting for official confirmation from Iran that this attack was carried out from Israel.

Throughout the day, Iranian officials appear to be playing down the strike, telling reporters explosions were caused by its air defence system, there has been no damage caused and its forces only fired at a "suspicious object".

However, US officials have confirmed to a number of Western media outlets that Israel launched a strike in retaliation to Iran's 1 April attack in the early hours of this morning.

Our international affairs editor Dominic Waghorn has explained why Iran is "playing down" the attack.

He says Tehran's response has been "very telling".

"Before this, the Iranians said the tiniest invasion, the tiniest provocation will lead to a harsh response," he adds.

"So if they accepted or admitted there has been some kind of attack on their country then they will feel behoven to respond to it.

"The fact that they are playing it down I think looks like they're sticking to the scripts that Israel and Western allies will be relieved by."

Iran's air defence systems fired at a "suspicious object" over the central city of Isfahan in response to this morning's apparent Israeli attack, a senior army commander has said.

General Siavash Mihandoost told Iranian state television: "It caused no damage or incident at all."

"The sound heard early in the morning today in Isfahan was not an explosion, it was our powerful air defence firing at a suspicious object," he added.

The attack saw troops fire air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site near the city, according to Iranian officials.

It came nearly a week after Tehran launched a drone and missile assault on Israel following a missile strike targeting an air defense unit in southern Syria.

Israel had vowed to respond to Iran's unprecedented weekend attack, leaving the region bracing for further escalation after months of fighting in Gaza.

However, the Israeli military has still not commented on today's attack.

Sky News will host a special programme live from Jerusalem tonight, examining the apparent attack on Iran by Israel.

You will be able to watch Israel Attack with Yalda Hakim on Sky News at 5pm and 9pm.