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- 'Revenge, revenge': Iran mourners gather for Khamenei's funeral
- Hezbollah and Hamas officials attend Khamenei funeral ceremonies
- Israeli military says killed an 'armed militant' in southern Lebanon
Israeli military says killed an 'armed militant' in southern Lebanon
The Israeli military said on Saturday that it killed what it alleged was an armed militant in the "security zone" occupied by its troops in southern Lebanon.
"Earlier today (Saturday), IDF soldiers identified an armed terrorist operating inside the Security Zone, in the Majdal Zoun area in southern Lebanon," the military said in a statement, adding that troops "opened fire at the terrorist" and, after conducting "extensive searches", then "eliminated" him.
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) said an Israeli helicopter carried out "a broad sweep operation on the outskirts" of Majdal Zoun and launched five missiles towards the village, without specifying a target or immediately reporting casualties.
The NNA also reported on Saturday that an Israeli strike on the village of Mansouri wounded one person, and reported Israeli artillery shelling elsewhere.
Iran's China envoy says friendly nations will get 'special' Hormuz fee treatment
Iran's ambassador to China insisted Saturday that new fees would be charged to ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz – an idea rejected by Washington – while saying that "friendly" nations would receive special treatment.
The initial deal struck between Iran and the United States to end their war stipulated that commercial ships would transit the strait free of charge for 60 days, but it remains unclear what will be in place after that period.
Iranian Ambassador Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli told the World Peace Forum in Beijing that his country was working in "collaboration and cooperation" with Oman on "new arrangements" for the vital waterway.
"As a country where the Hormuz is part of its territorial waters, we will definitely charge service fees," Azli said in translated remarks, while insisting such fees would not be a "toll".
"These new arrangements will be concerning guaranteeing the security of passage through the Straits of Hormuz, supervision of the passage of the vessels ... and also guaranteeing and dealing with the environmental consequences of the massive number of ships," he said.
"We will definitely consider special treatment for the countries that were friendly to us and specially stood by us during the hard times," he added.
In Pictures: Crowds mourn slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran
A man carries a child holding a red Shiite religious flag outside the Imam Khomeini Mosalla Grand Mosque. Photo: Altaf Qadri, AP
Mourners gather beneath a portrait of the late Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the funeral ceremonies for Khamenei and members of his family. Photo: Altaf Qadri, AP
A mourner sketches the face of the late Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on a wall covered with messages. Photo: Altaf Qadri, AP
Mourners write messages on a wall during the funeral ceremonies for slain Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and members of his family. Photo: Altaf Qadri, AP
A boy writes a slogan that reads "Death to America" in Farsi on a barricade placed on the street leading to the residence of the late Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, where he was killed alongside several members of his family by US-Israeli air strikes. Photo: Vahid Salemi, AP
Hezbollah and Hamas officials attend Khamenei funeral ceremonies
Representatives from Tehran-backed militant groups Hezbollah and Hamas attended the funeral ceremonies of late Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday and met with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, state media reported.
Tehran has for years provided support to Palestinian group Hamas, Lebanon's Hezbollah and Yemen's Ansarallah, widely referred to as the Houthis.
The Hezbollah delegation included officials and families of killed and wounded members, the group told Lebanese media. It was headed by senior official and former minister Mohammed Fneish.
Hamas, meanwhile, said in a statement that its delegation was led by the head of its political bureau, Mohammed Darwish and included other bureau members such as Bassem Naim.
In July 2024, Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, was killed in his accommodation in Tehran by an Israeli operation after he attended the inauguration ceremony for Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Turkey's Erdogan says Israel must not be allowed to 'dynamite' US-Iran deal
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that Middle East peace efforts could not succeed without regional backing and that Israel must not be allowed to "dynamite" the US-Iran peace deal.
Speaking alongside Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Istanbul, Erdogan said: "No solution that does not take strength from the will and contributions of regional countries can be lasting."
Turkey, a NATO member and Iran's neighbour, has repeatedly accused Israel of trying to undermine the US-Iran deal mediated by Pakistan, and has condemned Israel's military campaigns and occupations in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.
Current and former US officials told the New York Times on Thursday they believed Israel had been planning to assassinate Iran's top negotiators while they were trying to strike an initial peace deal with Washington. The US reportedly called on other countries in the region to warn Tehran about the possibility.
"We are closely following the Israeli administration's attempts to dynamite the deal ... The current war-addicted Israeli government must not be allowed to drown our geography in the smell of gunpowder and blood again," Erdogan said.
Funeral attendees 'hardline factions' of Iranian society, specialist says
Hundreds of thousands of mourners gathered in Tehran on Saturday for the start of a days-long funeral for Iran's late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Tara Kangarlou, a global affairs journalist and author of "The Heartbeat of Iran", said most attendees were "more emboldened, hardline factions of the society", making the crowd unrepresentative of broader public attitudes toward the regime.
Millions expected to attend former supreme leader's funeral
Around 15 million people are expected to attend the late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's funeral, according to local authorities. FRANCE 24's Reza Sayah added that a related event would also take place in neighbouring Iraq.
In photos: Crowds mass for funeral ceremony honouring Iran's late supreme leader
Vast crowds of Iranians loyal to the Islamic Republic massed in Tehran on Saturday. Authorities believe the ceremonies will mobilise more than 10 million people in the capital alone.
(A mourner weeps as he attends the start of the days-long funeral ceremonies for the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and members of his family at the Imam Khomeini Mosalla Grand Mosque in Tehran, Iran, on July 4, 2026. ©Altaf Qadri, AP)
(Mourners attend the start of the days-long funeral ceremonies for the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and members of his family at the Imam Khomeini Mosalla Grand Mosque in Tehran, Iran, on July 4, 2026. ©Altaf Qadri, AP)
'Revenge, revenge': Iran mourners gather for Khamenei's funeral
Mourners beat their chests and chanted "revenge, revenge" as thousands gathered in Tehran early Saturday for a final farewell to slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Khamenei, who ruled Iran for more than three decades, was killed in US-Israeli attacks in late February that sparked a regional war.
His body lay in state on Saturday morning at the sprawling Grand Mosalla prayer complex in the Iranian capital, where an AFP journalist saw crowds filing in holding red flags, a symbol of revenge in Shiite Islam.
"We have come not for the funeral but for revenge," a eulogist at the event chanted. "We're never going to give up your blood, which is the reddest line."
The mourners, some in tears, made their way through strict security towards the courtyard where Khamenei's coffin was placed for people to pay their respects.
State TV reports thousands are attending the funeral ceremonies
State television reported that the funeral ceremonies for Iran's late supreme leader Ali Khamenei have drawn thousands and are intended to serve as a show of strength to the Islamic republic's foes.
(A woman holds a sign with a depiction of US President Donald Trump, as mourners gather on the day of a public farewell ceremony to pay their respects to late Supreme Leader Khamenei on July 4, 2026. ©Majid Asgaripour, West Asia News Agency via Reuters)
In Photos: Iran starts public funeral ceremony for Khamenei
(People gather on the day of a public farewell ceremony to pay their respects to the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran, Iran, on July 4, 2026. ©Mohammed Salem via Reuters)
(A portrait of the late leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, is displayed next to the coffins of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his family members, during a public farewell ceremony to pay their respects to Khamenei on July 4, 2026. ©Alkis Konstantinidis via Reuters)
Huge crowds gather as Khamenei funeral ceremonies begin in Iran
Funeral ceremonies for Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei officially began on Saturday, state television reported.
Hello and welcome to this liveblog covering the situation in the Middle East.
Yesterday's key developments:
- The body of Iran's late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei arrived at Tehran's Grand Mosalla religious complex on Friday.
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Iran's new IRGC chief emerged from hiding to pay his respects to the slain Ayatollah Khamenei as Tehran prepared for the days-long funeral ceremonies.
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The UN's International Organsiation for Migration said that more than 600,000 displaced Lebanese returned to their homes amid the ceasefire with Israel.
(FRANCE 24 with Reuters, AP and AFP)
