Evening update

Good evening Middle East Eye readers, here are the latest developments. Qatari and Iranian officials met in Tehran to discuss de-escalating regional tensions and resuming diplomatic efforts. Israeli strikes on Thursday resulted in three deaths and multiple injuries in Gaza, while an air strike in southern Lebanon claimed a woman's life.

Kuwait and Pakistan recently signed a defense and military cooperation agreement, with Pakistan's armed forces providing training and capacity building assistance to Kuwait. Israeli party leader Itamar Smotrich outlined plans to "Judaize" areas with significant Arab-Israeli populations ahead of October's Israeli elections, referring to it as a "revolution" akin to that in the occupied West Bank.

Iran's security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, warned of potential strikes against American military and economic interests should the US provoke Iran, while also stating Tehran is preparing a list of conditions for opening the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump suggested his administration might impose sanctions on Chinese banks due to their ties with Iran.

The Palestinian Centre for Prisoners Advocacy reported nearly 400 Palestinian children continue to be held in Israeli detention centers, describing it as an unprecedented situation. Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa appointed Mazloum Abdi, leader of the dissolved Syrian Democratic Forces, as a presidential adviser following the Kurdish-led group's dissolution under a new Damascus agreement.