Iran captured 700 “mercenaries” working for Israel during the 12 days of war between the regional foes, Iranian media has claimed, as Tehran intensifies a crackdown on what it has labelled “espionage and sabotage networks”.
The semi-official Fars news agency said the mercenaries were identified and detained based on public reports and intelligence operations. It came after Israel's military chief said commandos had operated secretly inside Iran during the conflict, with Israel's spy chief hailing assistance from US intelligence.
“We achieved full control over Iranian airspace and in every location where we chose to operate,” Israeli chief of staff Eyal Zamir said in a televised address on Wednesday. “This was made possible thanks to, among other things, co-ordination and tactical deception carried out by our air force and ground commando units.
“The forces operated in secret deep within enemy territory and created operational freedom of action for us.”
Fars said the mercenaries "mainly operated in the framework of espionage and sabotage networks". It said a number of “Mossad operatives” had also been arrested in Iran during the war. Authorities had confiscated “large amounts of explosives, remote controls and spying equipment”, added the news agency, which is affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Fars said arrests were made in Kermanshah, Isfahan, Khuzestan, Fars and Lorestan provinces.
Trump says US will hold talks with Iran next week
Several workshops producing suicide drones linked to Israeli intelligence had also been discovered, it claimed.
On Wednesday, Iran said it executed three men accused of spying for Israel. Tehran has in the past put to death many people convicted of having links with Mossad and enabling its operations. It has long accused Israeli intelligence of carrying out sabotage operations against its nuclear facilities and assassinating its scientists.
But human rights groups have accused Iran of carrying out sham trials and issuing sentences for spying without credible evidence in an effort to crack down on dissent.
Iran's judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei has vowed swift trials for people captured on suspicion of collaborating with Israel.
A ceasefire between Israel and Iran was announced by US President Donald Trump on Tuesday after 12 days of intense and unprecedented aerial fighting. The truce appeared to be holding on Thursday.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
The Specs
Price, base Dh379,000
Engine 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 503bhp
Torque 443Nm
On sale now
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
The five pillars of Islam
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Company%20profile
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MORE ON THE US DEMOCRATIC PRIMARIES
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh1,470,000 (est)
Engine 6.9-litre twin-turbo W12
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 626bhp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,350rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.0L / 100km
