Live: Trump says US launching 'economic warfare' against Iran, warns countries not to back Tehran

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 US President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that the US had "total control" of the strategic waterway.

The British maritime security company Ambrey said early on Thursday that it has been involved in the salvage of the stricken tanker Caroline Bezengi off the Omani coast.

It added that salvage vessels are en route to support the ongoing operation.

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. "Iraqi skies and sovereignty are inviolable, and any violation of its airspace or infringement upon its security will not be tolerated from any quarter," he said. 

• US intelligence officials were sceptical of an alleged Iranian assassination threat against Donald Trump that was relayed by Israel, sources told The Washington Post. One official described the reports of threats against the US president's life as "Israeli-derived, not U.S.-generated, and viewed as low confidence".

• Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi criticised France and other countries for what he described as "hypocrisy" when it comes to human rights and international law amid continued support for Israel. "Your backing of Israel’s genocide in Gaza - and aggression against Iran - has destroyed whatever moral high ground you imagined you had," he said in a post on X.

• Hamas has condemned Israel for a Wednesday air strike on Gaza which left one killed and others wounded. In a statement, the movement 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".

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".

"We hope that Israel will abide by its commitments," he added.

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. 

US intelligence officials were sceptical of an alleged Iranian assassination threat against Donald Trump that was relayed by Israel, sources told The Washington Post. 

The threat was relayed by the Israeli government to the CIA, but analysts had doubts about the credibility of the information and conveyed their thoughts to the Trump administration, one official indicated. 

Another official described the reports of threats against the US president's life as "Israeli-derived, not U.S.-generated, and viewed as low confidence".

Earlier, The Washington Post broke the story that Trump secretly left Ankara on the military aircraft amid an alleged Iranian assassination threat.

The latest report follows confirmation of Trump secretly leaving Turkey on a military aircraft, instead of an Air Force One jumbo jet he was seen on television boarding. 

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. According to his last known profile stats, he had amassed around 121.5k followers. 

Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi criticised France and other countries for what he described as "hypocrisy" when it comes to human rights and international law amid continued support for Israel.

"Countries like France should stop lecturing the world about 'human rights' and international law. The hypocrisy is blatant and embarrassing," he said in a post on X. 

"Your backing of Israel’s genocide in Gaza—and aggression against Iran—has destroyed whatever moral high ground you imagined you had."

Countries like France should stop lecturing the world about “human rights” and international law. The hypocrisy is blatant and embarrassing.

Your backing of Israel’s genocide in Gaza—and aggression against Iran—has destroyed whatever moral high ground you imagined you had.

— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) August 13, 2026

Aseel Baidoun, the deputy director of advocacy and campaigns for Medical Aid for Palestinians, says that the Israeli government has a "systematic policy and a campaign of ethnic cleansing of Palestinians” in the occupied West Bank

Aseel Baidoun, the deputy director of advocacy and campaigns for Medical Aid for Palestinians, says that the Israeli government has a "systematic policy and a campaign of ethnic cleansing of Palestinians” in the occupied West Bank. pic.twitter.com/4JtFgwlvV3

— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) August 13, 2026

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."

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". 

Alimi also expressed that the international focus has shifted from how to accommodate the Houthis to how to protect Yemen, international navigation, the region and international peace and security.

"There will be no action by the Houthi militias from now on without a response or comprehensive deterrence," he said. "Our strategic objective is to restore state institutions and bring down the (Houthi) coup."

Saudi Arabia opposed Egypt joining the security pact signed with Turkey and Pakistan last week, despite Ankara's push for Cairo to be included, three Saudi sources familiar with the discussions told Middle East Eye.

One of the sources, a former senior adviser to the Saudi monarchy, said Riyadh did not want Egypt to join the agreement "at least for now".

All three sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the issue, said the Saudi position was driven by a growing frustration with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's government and a belief in Riyadh that Egypt no longer offered the strategic or military value it once did.

The Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, which was signed in the Holy Muslim city of Mecca on Friday, commits Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan to regard an armed attack against any one of the three countries as an attack against all three.

According to the sources, the Saudi decision to oppose Egypt's entry was due to simmering tensions between Riyadh and Cairo.

Saudi Arabia reportedly blocked Egypt from joining its defence pact with Turkey and Pakistan, despite Ankara pushing for Cairo's inclusion. Saudi sources told MEE the decision reflects growing tensions with Egypt and doubts over its strategic value. pic.twitter.com/fX2Fg5iQSy

— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) August 12, 2026

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”.

Lebanon's parliament on Wednesday passed a sweeping and long-awaited amnesty law that should benefit thousands of prisoners and wanted people, in the first legislation of its kind since 1991.

The law, which had been a demand of various political factions and a topic of debate for years, aims to reduce prison overcrowding, with many inmates awaiting trial for years.

The office of the country's parliament speaker announced the "approval of a draft law aimed at granting a general amnesty and exceptionally reducing the terms of certain sentences".

The authorities did not immediately announce the number of people who would benefit from the law.

A general amnesty was brought back into the limelight after the 2024 fall of Syria's former ruler Bashar al-Assad, as many prisoners in Lebanon were jailed over events linked to the Syrian civil war.

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.

The detainees included journalist Mohammad Awad from Beitunia, a former prisoner from Silat ad-Dhahr and residents of al-Yamun, Silat al-Harithiya, al-Bireh and Shweikeh.