Morning update

Good morning, Middle East Eye readers. Here are the latest developments:

The spokesperson of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen reported that 73 individuals, comprising women and children, sustained injuries following Houthi attacks in Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan, and Najran. In a statement on X, Turki al-Maliki pledged that the coalition would retaliate strongly to the assaults.

Israeli ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich have advocated for Israel to impose sanctions on Britain in relation to the Falkland Islands. They argue that the UK should penalize trade with illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory, as the government prepares to announce such a ban.

Iran's acting defense minister rejected Washington's assertions that Iran lacks the technical capability to strike US warships enforcing the naval blockade of Iran's ports. Majid Ibn Reza responded to these claims by asserting Iran's technological capability to do so. If given the opportunity, Iranian troops could target US vessels, he stated, hopeful for favorable outcomes.

Since the beginning of March, the death toll from Israeli attacks on Lebanon has increased to 4,362 people, with 12,378 others wounded. This brings the total casualties since 8 October 2023 to 8,929 people killed and 30,614 wounded.

Hamas accused Israel of attempting to conceal evidence of brutal crimes committed against Palestinians in Gaza during its prolonged genocidal war. The movement stated that Israel seeks to obliterate evidence by removing, crushing, and relocating rubble, despite the presence of thousands of missing people's bodies and material evidence of genocide committed by the occupation over two years.