Morning update

Good morning Middle East Eye readers,

Here are the latest developments from the Middle East. The political deputy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy announced that its forces have been conducting nightly operations in the Strait of Hormuz to target vessels they deem as violating their rules. The IRGC Navy has maintained complete and absolute surveillance over the Strait since the beginning of the war.

Ali Mohammadi, the IRGC Navy deputy, stated that the troops are capable of imposing their will on any ships they consider to have violated the rules. Meanwhile, the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier has returned to San Diego after completing a record 321-day deployment. The carrier, which carried 5,000 sailors and Marines, was redirected to the Middle East following the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran in late February.

Separately, in the Gaza Strip, eight Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks on Thursday. According to Gaza's health ministry, as of Thursday, Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement have resulted in the deaths of 1,471 Palestinians and the injury of 5,189 others. Since October 2023, Israel has killed over 74,254 Palestinians in the besieged enclave, with thousands more still unaccounted for, likely buried under the rubble.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had talks with his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, on Thursday. Putin pledged to do everything in his power to help end the war in the Middle East and noted the positive evolution in relations between Iran and Russia.

In a separate development, the United States is engaged in productive discussions with Iran and has stated that it will not launch an attack on the country before the US midterm congressional elections in November. Donald Trump also reiterated that the US blockade of Iranian ports remains in effect, and oil is still flowing through the Strait of Hormuz. Furthermore, the United States has imposed new sanctions targeting what it calls the remnants of Iran's shadow fleet of oil tankers, aiming to intensify pressure on Tehran.