Morning update

Good morning Middle East Eye readers, here are the latest updates. Iraq has proposed the formation of a joint security council between Iran and Saudi Arabia, citing a crisis of trust between the two nations, a senior Iraqi official informed state broadcaster Iraqiya TV. Qasim al-Araji, Iraq's national security adviser, said Baghdad had approached both Tehran and Riyadh with the suggestion.

An Israeli drone strike in central Gaza's Deir al-Balah early Monday resulted in the deaths of two Palestinian civilians, identified as Mohammed Nasser Abu Assad and Ibrahim Nasser Abu Assad, according to Anadolu Agency citing medical sources. The victims were pronounced dead shortly after the incident. Oman's Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi is scheduled to visit Tehran on Tuesday as talks between Iran and Muscat concerning the Strait of Hormuz continue, the Iranian foreign ministry announced on Monday.

Hossein Taeb, head of Iran's Basij paramilitary force, stated that Tehran had not called for a ceasefire, instead, the US was "forced" to request negotiations. The senior Basij official also asserted that Iran's armed forces maintained their strength during the conflict and exposed US military weaknesses. Israeli troops conducted a raid in southern Syria's Quneitra province on Sunday, detaining a shepherd, reported Alikhbariah channel.

Additionally, Israeli forces pushed into the village of Maariya in Daraa countryside with military vehicles in pursuit of the operation. Hamas accused Israel of fabricating a pretext to intensify attacks on Gaza after Israel threatened wide-scale evacuations and air strikes if Palestinian paper kites continued to be launched from the Strip.

In response, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem issued a statement on the group's website stating that the Israeli move amounted to threatening children.