Gaza death toll reaches 73,389 Israel has killed at least one person and injured seven in the Gaza Strip in the past day, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Since October 2023, when Israel's genocide in Gaza began, at least 73,389 Palestinians have been killed and 174,266 have been injured.
Iran says Strait of Hormuz is under its control The Strait of Hormuz is "under Iran's control and management", the head of Iran's Basij paramilitary unit, Hossein Taeb, said on Thursday, according to Fars news agency. The remarks came a day after U. S.
Morning update Good morning Middle East Eye readers, Here is a recap of the latest developments: The chairman of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council indicated the government does not want a deal with the Houthis, and instead called for "lasting and sustainable peace" based on a state that holds a monopoly on weapons and sovereignty. He added that the internationally recognised government has concluded that the Houthis amount to "a project of war and destruction, not a project of peace". Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi says Baghdad will not allow its territory or airspace to be utilised for launching attacks against neighbouring countries, according to the Iraqi News Agency.
Pakistan says Israel's refusal to withdraw forces from Gaza 'serious setback' to peace plan Pakistan has expressed its rejection of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state. Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi said that a Palestinian state stands in "accordance with international law and UN resolutions", and added that its statehood had "an established international legality". Andrabi argued that Israeli rejections cannot alter the legal and diplomatic reality of the issue, saying: "Remark to the contrary to this established international legality means nothing," With regards to Netanyahu's remarks about his refusal to withdraw Israeli forces from Gaza, Andrabi told reporters in Islamabad that this would constitute "serious setback to the decision taken at the Board of Peace, because the disarmament of Hamas and the evacuation of Gaza by Israeli troops were twin commitments".
Israeli troops set on fire, bombed homes in south Lebanon The National News Agency reported that Israeli forces carried out bombing and set ablaze homes early on Thursday in the southern Lebanese towns of Majdal Zoun, Mansouri and their general surroundings. Israel has continued its attacks in the country despite peace talks.
Houthi spokesperson's X account suspended Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree's X account has been suspended, with a message on the platform reading "Account suspended. X suspends accounts which violate the X Rules". It is unclear as to why Saree's account has been removed.
Iraq will not be used as 'launch pad' for attacks on neighbours, prime minister says Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi says Baghdad will not allow its territory or airspace to be utilised for launching attacks against neighbouring countries, according to the Iraqi News Agency. "Iraq is working to protect its national security and sovereignty, and it will not allow its territory or airspace to be used as a launching pad for any aggression against neighbouring countries," Zaidi was quoted as saying during a visit to Iraq’s Air Defence Command Operations Centre. "Iraqi skies and sovereignty are inviolable, and any violation of its airspace or infringement upon its security will not be tolerated from any quarter.
Yemen's presidential council chief says no plans for truce with Houthis The chairman of Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council indicated the government does not want a deal with the Houthis. "We are not for a new truce that reproduces previous experiences," Rashad al-Alimi said, and instead called for "lasting and sustainable peace" based on a state that holds a monopoly on weapons and sovereignty. He added that the internationally recognised government has concluded that the Houthis amount to "a project of war and destruction, not a project of peace".
Hamas condemns Israeli strike on Gaza Hamas has condemned Israel for a Wednesday air strike on Gaza which left one killed and others wounded. In a statement, the group said that the attack “confirms the occupation’s insistence on thwarting the efforts of the mediators, guarantors and the Board of Peace to reach an agreement that achieves a sustainable ceasefire”.
Israeli forces detain three people in West Bank Israeli forces detained three Palestinians from Beit Ummar, north of Hebron, on Wednesday, including two who were tending farmland near the Karmei Tzur settlement, according to the Wafa news agency. The three men, aged 37, 19 and 18, were detained in Khallet al-Kataleh, south of Beit Ummar, the report said. Israeli forces earlier detained at least seven other Palestinians in raids across the occupied West Bank, including in areas near Jenin, Ramallah and Tulkarm.
Iran says no progress on reviving interim peace deal with US Iran and the United States remain at loggerheads over efforts to agree a permanent end to the war in the Gulf, according to a senior Iranian source, who said there had been no progress in talks to revive the interim deal agreed in June and define a time frame to implement it. The comments came as US President Donald Trump issued yet another broadside against Iran's leaders following new attacks on shipping in the region on Tuesday. The deal agreed in June declared an "immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts", but quickly unravelled, with Trump saying it was "over" on 7 July and Iran's foreign ministry declaring it "suspended" a week later.
Defence minister says Israeli military indefinitely remain in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza Israeli military “under no circumstances” will withdraw from land it occupies in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza, Israel’s i24 news reported the defence minister saying. The report said Israel Katz made the statement during a visit today to army positions on the front line in southern Lebanon.
Pentagon tells Congress US killed 153 civilians in Yemen air strikes Submitted by MEE staff on Wed, 08/12/2026 - 19:33 The Houthis have resumed attacks on vessels in the Red Sea despite enduring hundreds of US air strikes A Yemeni man who was injured in US air strikes receives treatment at Al-Jumhuri Hospital in Yemen's Houthi-held capital Sanaa, on 8 May 2025 (Mohammed Huwais/AFP) Off The US killed and wounded hundreds of Yemeni civilians during its attacks on the country last year, according to an internal US Department of War assessment shared with Congress. The US killed 153 civilians and wounded 243, the Pentagon said in a 12-page report that was sent to the Senate Armed Services Committee on Monday and reported by several news sites in the US. US President Donald Trump ordered the American military to begin bombing the Houthis in March 2025.
Iraq says no foreign military presence by 1 Oct and weapons will be under state control Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi said that the country will be free of any foreign military presence on its soil and that weapons will be solely under state control by 1 October. During a meeting with US Central Command Commander Charles Brad Cooper, Zaidi “affirmed the commitment to the agreed-upon timelines”, under which the international coalition’s military mission in Iraq and the withdrawal of its forces will be completed by 30 September, according to a statement published by his office. 1 October will therefore “mark a new day in the history of the Iraqi state”, as the country will be “free of any foreign military presence” and responsible for ensuring its own security and stability, the statement continued.
UK, Italy among states considered to verify Hezbollah disarmament, sources say Israel and Lebanon have agreed on Britain, Italy, Switzerland, and Indonesia as potential contributors to a proposed mechanism that could see foreign troops deployed to Lebanon to verify Hezbollah's disarmament, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The shortlist emerged from US-mediated talks in Rome last week, the latest round of negotiations between Israel and Lebanon on implementing a June agreement that ties Israel's phased withdrawal from Lebanon to the disarmament of Hezbollah. The countries could help define the mechanism's scope, provide personnel to oversee its implementation or contribute troops to observe or take part in inspections verifying disarmament, three sources said.
Lebanon condemns 'systematic' Israeli destruction in south Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Wednesday condemned Israel's "systematic destruction" in the country's south as a violation of international law, as Israel's defence minister said its military was "destroying all the houses" there. Salam said Israeli "attacks, incursions, demolitions and the systematic destruction of homes", infrastructure, government buildings and places of worship "represent a serious violation of the principles and rules of international law and international humanitarian law". He also added that villages and towns "are entirely 'military facilities' does not stand up to any logic and cannot be used as an excuse for destroying them, displacing their inhabitants and preventing them from returning".
US strengthens military presence in breakaway Puntland amid battle for Red Sea Submitted by Victoria Amani Mwaniki Kishoiyian on Wed, 08/12/2026 - 17:09 The US has signed an agreement to expand a military base in Bosaso, a port city on the Gulf of Aden This handout satellite image from 2025 Planet Labs PBC shows the UAE-managed base in Bosaso, Somalia, on 3 September 2025 (Handout/2025 Planet Labs PBC/AFP) Off In early August, the commander of US Special Operations Command Africa, Major General Claude Tudor, signed a deal with the president of Somalia’s northeastern, semi-autonomous Puntland State, Saeed Abdullahi Deni. The two agreed to expand the American military base in Bosaso, a port city on the Gulf of Aden. According to a brief statement circulated by the Puntland Government of Somalia, the expansion is essential to “improve operations against terrorism and to help protect maritime security”.
Israel launches first Gaza air strike in more than a week An Israeli air strike targeting a three-wheeled vehicle in northern Gaza’s Beit Lahiya killed one Palestinian and wounded several others, Anadolu reported, citing a medical source. The wounded were taken to a hospital in Gaza City. An Israeli military spokesperson told AFP the strike was carried out to “remove a threat”.
Libya reels from assassination, oil strikes and central bank turmoil Submitted by Elis Gjevori on Wed, 08/12/2026 - 11:41 The violence has shaken claims of stability and placed further pressure on Libya’s divided authorities Black smoke rises during a fire at the Zawiya refinery, Libya’s second-largest oil refinery, after a storage tank was attacked by unknown perpetrators in Al-Zawiyah on 11 August 2026 (AFP/Mahmud Turkia) Off Libya was plunged into fresh turmoil this week after a car bomb killed eastern military intelligence chief Fawzi al-Mansouri in Benghazi, drone attacks struck the country’s largest operational oil refinery and the central bank governor resigned from his post. Mansouri, the military intelligence chief for forces controlling eastern Libya, was leaving a mosque on Monday night when an explosive device attached to his vehicle detonated, the Libyan National Army (LNA) said on Tuesday. Khaled Haftar , the son of the LNA renegade commander Khalifa Haftar who controls eastern Libya, said authorities had opened an investigation, adding that "indicators point to a despicable terrorist tactic".
Iran and US did not discuss ceasefire extension, senior Iranian official says There were no discussions between Iran and the US to extend the ceasefire because from Tehran's perspective the deal had no start date and therefore there was nothing to extend, a senior Iranian source has told Reuters.
