{
  "id": 640370,
  "title": "Morning update",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/morning-update",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-12T06:54:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Middle East Eye",
    "slug": "middle-east-eye",
    "url": "https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/morning-update-601"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Good morning Middle East Eye readers, today's updates cover a range of events across the region. US President Donald Trump expressed his distrust of Iran, asserting that the US maintains full control over the Strait of Hormuz. He criticized Iran's history of lying, stating, \"We have total control over the Hormuz Strait right now; they don't have control.\"\n\nIn the Red Sea, a strike on a commercial vessel resulted in at least three Pakistani deaths and one injury. Pakistan's foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, condemned the Houthi attack, emphasizing that the incident targeted a non-combatant vessel. Kurdish news outlets reported that Iranian missiles and drones had targeted multiple locations in Iraq's Erbil, including Soran, Khalifan, and Harir districts. Israeli forces continued their attacks in southern Lebanon, with one drone incident leaving several wounded.\n\nLarge explosions were also reported in Haddatha and Beit Yahoun, though the extent of casualties and damage remains unknown. In Libya, a targeted attack on the South Zawiya substation caused a widespread power outage in southern Zawiya. The company managing the electricity infrastructure warned of further delays in restoration efforts due to these attacks.\n\nSeveral nations, including Qatar, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Palestine, and Turkey, have voiced their disapproval of Colombia's backing of Israel's claims over the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. Meanwhile, Israeli forces conducted another agricultural land strike in Syria's Quneitra province and established a temporary military checkpoint in Kudna. Lastly, the Pentagon disclosed to Congress that US attacks against Houthi forces in Yemen last year resulted in 153 civilian deaths and 243 injuries, according to a 12-page report sent to the Senate Armed Services Committee.",
  "summary": "Morning update Good morning Middle East Eye readers, These are some of the latest developments from across the region: US President Donald Trump told reporters that he does not \"trust Iran\", and further claimed that the US has full control over the vital Strait of Hormuz. \"I don’t trust Iran. I’m the last person to trust Iran; they’ve lied to me constantly. We have total control over the Hormuz…",
  "key_points": [
    "US President Donald Trump claims US controls Strait of Hormuz",
    "Houthi attack on commercial vessel kills at least 3 in Red Sea",
    "Israeli forces attack southern Lebanon, several wounded"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The escalating exchanges of strikes and condemnations across the Middle East signal a widening conflict that draws in multiple countries and threatens to destabilize the region further.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Middle East Eye",
        "title": "Morning update",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/13/morning-update",
        "published": "2026-08-13T06:35:18.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}