Morning update

Good morning Middle East Eye readers, here are the latest developments from the Middle East. US President Donald Trump claimed that his special envoy Steve Witkoff is making progress in talks with Iran, though he reiterated that a deal with Tehran is not his preferred outcome. Trump also expressed his expectation that the war against Iran will conclude soon, stating, "That war ends - it's going to be very soon." He further described Iran as a "failed nation."

Yemen's Houthi rebels announced they had launched a ballistic missile attack on the King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh. Separately, they claimed to have downed a Saudi drone while it was conducting what they described as hostile missions over the city of Taiz.

A White House official told Al Jazeera that President Trump will not allow the Iranian government to manipulate him, as previous US presidents had been manipulated by Tehran. The official stated that Trump is comfortable with letting Iran's inevitable collapse occur, emphasizing that the US controls the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's economy is in a state of collapse.

The Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson affirmed that Tehran has clearly and firmly outlined conditions for ending the war, stating that it will respond to US proposals through mediators. The Yemeni government forces reported that they have "neutralized" 1,860 Houthi fighters in 2,103 precise targeting operations as part of their "Dawn of Yemen" operation. The military spokesperson of the Yemeni government described the strikes as targeting Houthi movements, fortifications, supply lines, and military positions.