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. "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".