New European Union sanctions against Iran in response to the country’s recent strike on Israel should include the Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Belgium’s foreign minister has said. 

Speaking to journalists ahead of a meeting with EU ministers, Hadja Lahbib said there would be a discussion over the legal basis for adding Iran’s armed forces to a list of terrorist organisations.

“We will discuss it together,” Ms Lahbib said.

“I also think we have to expand sanctions against violent settlers (in the Palestinian West Bank). We have to be balanced and make sure we won’t be accused of having double standards.”

The IRGC, through its Quds force, is a close partner of Israel’s enemies: Hezbollah and Hamas.

Designating the IRGC as a terrorist organisation would make them the first state agency to be classified and put them in the same category as groups like ISIS, al Qaeda and Hamas.

Israeli intelligence head resigns over 7 October failures

The head of Israeli military intelligence has resigned over failures around the 7 October attack.

Aharon Haliva is the first senior figure to step down over Hamas’s attack. 

He had said in October he shouldered the blame for failing to prevent the attack, which broke through Israel’s vaunted defences. 

The Israeli military said in a statement the military chief of staff accepted Mr Haliva’s resignation and thanked him for his service.