Live: Syria condemns Israeli attack on 'civilian vehicle', warns of rising regional tensions

Donald Trump has hit back on media reports of depleting munitions, insisting that the army has large stockpiles and expaning manufacturing. 

"The U.S. has massive amounts of 'munitions,' especially of certain types," he said in a post on his social media platform Truth Social, adding that "large amounts" are being manufactured and shipped over to the country "as needed".

"Defense companies are building the largest number of plants and factories in our country’s history," Trump said. 

He also threatened that "'leakers' of these treasonous statements are being hunted down," and wrote that "long term jail sentences will be sought".

The US army has used up nearly 80 percent of its interceptors for a key missile defence system, CNN reported citing several sources familiar with the matter. 

According to the report, senior US military officials warned that the Pentagon’s munitions stockpile is "dangerously low," with key air defence systems particularly depleted during the war on Iran.

The US military exhausted nearly four-fifths of its THAAD missile inventory compared to pre-war figures. Meanwhile, half of its Patriot interceptors were burned through since the start of the war. 

One source familiar with recent internal Pentagon reports noted that the army used "virtually all" of its highly accurate long-range, surface-to-air weapons in the same period. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video posted on his social media accounts on Tuesday that Israel did not agree to a US-backed plan for Gaza.

US President Donald Trump had announced last Thursday "a major milestone" towards implementing the Gaza peace plan agreed to in October, saying that Hamas would disarm and Israel would withdraw in phases.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video posted on his social media accounts on Tuesday that Israel did not agree to a US-backed plan for Gaza pic.twitter.com/WD04OJZ4QR

— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) August 6, 2026

US President Donald Trump confronted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over Washington's critical shortage of munition during the war on Iran, The Washington Post reported.

According to the newspaper citing sources, Trump demanded answers during a cabinet meeting last week after finding out about the deficit in vital weapons, despite his understanding that the issue had been addressed. 

The report cited the shortage in munitions as one of the reasons behind Trump's decision to pause large-scale strikes against Iran.

During the meeting, Hegseth reportedly defended himself and instead blamed Deputy Defense Secretary Stephen Feinberg for the shortages and "for not ensuring Trump was fully apprised" about the state of Washington's stockpiles.

The White House denied the report, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt calling it "100% fake news", adding that Trump saying "has the utmost confidence" in Hegseth.

A tanker 9 nautical miles south east of Oman's Kumzar reported hearing two explosions while transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said early on Thursday.

According to the UKMTO advisory, the vessel and its crew were reportedly safe, with no environmental damage indicated. 

Israeli forces were seen beating a Palestinian man while they were conducting a raid on the Qalandiya refugee camp in the occupied West Bank early on Wednesday.

Soldiers deployed across several neighbourhoods as home raids and searches continued. Palestinian sources said troops raided the headquarters of the camp's Popular Committee and forcibly removed several residents from their homes.

The Israeli military announced in a Facebook post that it was targeting "terrorist" elements and infrastructure, but did not clarify what activity it was referring to. There are no known recent attacks against Israelis originating from the Qalandiya refugee camp.

Israeli forces were seen beating a Palestinian man while they were conducting a raid on the Qalandiya refugee camp in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday morning. pic.twitter.com/uq3mhIdm1y

— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) August 5, 2026

Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) petitioned an administrative court to urge the Israeli prison system to allow for an independent physician to examine Palestinian doctor Hussam Abu Safiya.

Abu Safiya was detained from the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza during an Israeli raid in late 2024 without formal charges or a trial.

His health has since drastically detoriorated, with rights groups, activists and experts calling for his immediate release. 

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Washington is holding talks with Tehran and would prefer an agreement over further military action against Iran.

Speaking in Las Vegas, Trump said the US had been preparing to launch what he described as “the biggest attack since World War II before Iranian officials asked for negotiations. 

“I would rather make a deal with Iran because I don’t want to kill people,” he added, while reaffirming his commitment to ensuring Tehran would not be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons.

This comes after Iran’s deputy foreign minister said that Iran has not been holding talks with the US over recent days.

Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir said that the army will continue what he described as “proactive” operations in Gaza to “remove threats and defend Israeli communities and residents,” according to a statement released by the military on Wednesday. 

This comes just days after the US-led Board of Peace’s Gaza representative, Nikolay Mladenov, met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and urged Israel to halt its attacks on Gaza.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Wednesday that Israel has “no intention or plan for peace” and is using diplomatic platforms to advance what he described as its “illegal strategies” aimed at expansion.

“If regional countries and the international community do not take the necessary diplomatic measures to curb Israel’s expansionist policies, this will produce not only a regional crisis but a global one,” he added in remarks delivered after attending meetings with Arab countries to discuss the Gaza peace plan and wider regional tensions in the Jordanian capital, Amman.

Israel’s military released a statement saying it mistakenly launched an interceptor missile after initially misidentifying its own military fire from operations in southern Lebanon.

No injuries have been reported from the incident, which is under review, the statement added.

Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs Varsen Aghabekian Shahin met with her Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty on Wednesday to discuss the need to mobilise international action against Israeli policies and measures in occupied Jerusalem.

The two ministers met on the sidelines of the Arab Ministerial Committee meeting in Jordan's capital of Amman tasked with mobilising such action. 

Shahin stressed that the need for Arab countries to take practical steps to influence the US government’s position to contribute to the safeguarding of the Palestinian people’s inalienable legitimate rights, while Abdelatty reaffirmed Egypt’s support for Palestinian statehood. 

Dr. Badr Abdelatty, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and Egyptian Expatriates participates in the opening session of the Ministerial Meeting on Jerusalem, held in Amman.https://t.co/NrUnkBQRma pic.twitter.com/WBzEv5OiFF

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt (@MFAEgOfficial) August 5, 2026

The Israeli military has fired artillery at Majdel Zoun in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, Lebanon’s National News Agency has reported.

No casualties have been reported.

Israel’s foreign ministry has hit back after a declaration issued by the Arab Ministerial Committee condemned Israel’s policies and measures in occupied Jerusalem.

In a statement posted on X, the foreign ministry said that Jerusalem is “the eternal capital of the State of Israel” and called the Arab committee’s declaration “built on false accusations, historical distortions, and complete disregard for the facts”.

The declaration endorsed by the Foreign Ministers of the Arab Ministerial Committee, convened by Jordan, is built on false accusations, historical distortions, and a complete disregard for the facts.

It is particularly cynical to accuse Israel of violating freedom of worship…

— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) August 5, 2026

The foreign minister for Yemen’s internationally recognised government, Afrah Alzouba, spoke with United Nations special envoy Hans Grundberg on Wednesday about developments in the region, including the Houthi attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, according to Yemen’s foreign ministry.

During the virtual meeting, Alzouba said Houthi attacks on commercial vessels threaten international navigation, accusing the group of using Yemen to fuel wider regional escalation.

Grundberg reaffirmed the importance of preventing further regional escalation and advancing a just and comprehensive political process to achieve security and stability in Yemen.