{
  "id": 3905887,
  "title": "Morning update",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/morning-update",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-28T05:45:15.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Middle East Eye",
    "slug": "middle-east-eye",
    "url": "https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/morning-update-612"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Good morning Middle East Eye readers,\n\nThe Israeli army reportedly fired two shells at a western Damascus suburb on Friday, according to the official news agency SANA. Additionally, Israeli forces conducted a raid and searched homes in Rasm al-Ajraf, a village in southern Syria's Quneitra province, the day before, as reported by Al-Ikhbariyya TV.\n\nIran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary, Mohsen Rezaei, has warned that Tehran will target US economic interests if the maritime blockade against the country persists. Rezaei stated that if the blockade continues, Iran will take action \"fully and with intensity and force\" against US economic interests.\n\nThe US Central Command (Centcom) reported on Thursday that internationally recognized shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz remain open after their forces cleared sea mines. Centcom Commander Brad Cooper also stated that US forces facilitated the transit of nearly 1,500 commercial vessels through the strategic waterway in recent months.\n\nUS Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized that Washington's blockade of Iranian ports will cripple the country's economy. Bessent stated that the Blockade and Operation Economic Outcast will \"crush the failing Iranian economy\" and claimed that the US helped transport 130 million barrels of oil through the Gulf over the past two weeks.\n\nIranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf dismissed Bessent's allegations, accusing Tehran of wasting vast sums of money on foreign proxies and military bases while its citizens struggle to meet basic needs. Ghalibaf argued that instead of sending billions abroad, this failing regime should prioritize spending that money on its own people, but he found it perplexing that such a strategy would be rejected by this regime.",
  "summary": "Morning update Good morning Middle East Eye readers, Here are the latest developments: The Israeli army has fired two shells on Friday in the western suburb of Damascus, according to the official news agency SANA. Israeli forces also raided and searched homes in the village of Rasm al-Ajraf in southern Syria’s Quneitra province late on Thursday, Al-Ikhbariyya TV reported. Iran’s Supreme National…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Middle East Eye",
        "title": "Morning update",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/morning-update",
        "published": "2026-08-24T07:04:22.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}