The Times reports that Russia has offered to help Iran skirt US sanctions by allowing it to transport crude oil through ports in Crimea. The Kremlin’s representative in Crimea Georgy Muradov announced the offer. “Iran can use our shipping capabilities and transport oil through the Volga-Don canal, via Crimea, to the Black Sea.” The Volga-Don canal is part of a system of inland waterways that link the Caspian Sea to the world’s oceans via the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.

The Guardian and Telegraph report that Israel has positioned mannequins of soldiers in jeeps along the Lebanon border, as the IDF braces itself for an attack from Hezbollah. Hezbollah’s al-Manar tweeted photos of what appeared to be two military off-road vehicles and yellow dummies in army uniform. The IDF would not comment on the reports. The Times of Israel said the IDF had placed mannequins in bunkers in the past to trick enemies “into thinking that these positions are full of soldiers and thus serve a deterrent effect”.

Reuters reports that the US has sanctioned Lebanon-based Jammal Trust Bank SAL and its subsidiaries for facilitating Hezbollah’s financial activities. The Treasury Department said the bank funnels money to the families of suicide bombers, while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has claimed that “Jammal Trust’s misconduct undermines the integrity of the Lebanese financial system.” A senior administration official has said: “We do have a very good relationship with the central bank of Lebanon and we have confidence that they’ll take the right action here.”

Reuters reports that UK Foreign Minister Dominic Raab will call for more international support to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz when he meets his French and German counterparts later on Friday for talks on Iran. “We […] need the broadest international support possible to tackle the threats to international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” Raab said in a statement. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said a possible separate European maritime defence operation would be discussed in Helsinki, while French Defence Minister Florence Parly told AFP that she would back an EU-led “dissuasive presence”.

The Guardian, Independent, Financial Times and Reuters report that intense fighting has broken out in a battle for control of Yemen’s interim capital, Aden, threatening to open a new front in the Yemen conflict. Yemeni government forces were hit by airstrikes on Thursday as they travelled towards the southern city, killing at least 30 troops. The attack is a major escalation in a three-week struggle for Aden between the Yemeni government and the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC), which is backed by the UAE.

The Times reports that Turkish troops are preparing to enter a strip of northern Syria currently controlled by Kurdish forces to patrol a buffer zone set up under a Turkey-US agreement. The “safe zone” will put distance between Turkish soil and a Kurdish militia that Ankara regards as a terrorist group. The area where Turkish soldiers will be present will extend from the border up to three miles inside Syria. Beyond that will be a second strip of seven miles where only US soldiers will patrol, followed by a further 2.5 miles cleared of the Kurds’ heavy weaponry. The Turkish-patrolled strip will double the Turkish army’s area of operations inside the warzone.

Reuters reports that the Iranian tanker Adrian Darya has changed course away from the Turkish coast, Refinitiv ship tracking data showed on Thursday. The tanker, formerly called Grace 1, was released from detention off Gibraltar in mid-August. The tracking data showed the ship was currently between the coasts of Turkey and Cyprus, heading west.

Reuters reports that Russia and Syria stepped up aerial raids on northwest Syria as they sent reinforcements from elite army units and Iranian-backed militias to bolster a major offensive against the last rebel stronghold. The Russian-led alliance took the town of Khwain, Zarzoor and Tamanah farms in southern Idlib, pushing closer into densely populated parts of Idlib province. They were the first gains since the alliance seized a main rebel pocket in nearby Hama province last week.

Reuters reports that the UNSC is considering a draft resolution that would call for a truce in north-western Syria “to avoid a further deterioration of the already catastrophic humanitarian situation,” though diplomats believe that such a move is likely to face opposition from veto-power Russia. Kuwait, Germany and Belgium circulated a draft resolution to the 15-member UNSC late on Wednesday that would express “outrage at the unacceptable levels of violence escalating in and around Idlib.” It was not immediately clear when they aimed to put it to a vote.

Reuters reports that US President Donald Trump has claimed that US troop levels in Afghanistan were being reduced to 8,600 but that US forces would remain in the country even if Washington reaches a peace agreement with the Taliban. “Oh yeah, you have to keep a presence,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News radio. “We’re going to keep a presence there. We’re reducing that presence very substantially and we’re going to always have a presence. We’re going to have high intelligence.” Trump said the US force level in Afghanistan was being reduced to 8,600 “and then we make a determination from there as to what happens.”

The Guardian and Times report that Saudi Arabia’s revived plans for a $2tn mega-listing of its state oil company may rule out the London Stock Exchange amid Britain’s rising political uncertainty. Saudi Aramco may instead look to Japan’s Tokyo stock exchange to host the second phase of what would be the biggest public offering in history. The oil giant’s advisers had originally favoured an international stock market debut in either London or Hong Kong, but political instability has reduced their appeal, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Reuters reports that an Iranian rocket exploded on its launch pad at Imam Khomeini Space Centre in northern Iran before its scheduled launch on Thursday, an Iranian official said. The launch was due to have taken place despite US warnings.

The Telegraph reports that a popular Iranian footballer has asked the country’s judiciary to carry out his punishment of 74 lashes in a national stadium, after being found guilty of “spreading lies and causing public unrest”. Hassan Rowshan claimed in an interview that his club’s academy was “more interested in making money from rich families and did not produce any professional players”. Two of the club’s directors sued Rowshan for libel.

Reuters reports that Israel’s Kanabo Research aims this year to become the first cannabis company to list on London’s main stock market, as part of efforts to raise £4 million for clinical trials and to launch over-the-counter products. Cannabis companies have listed in Canada and Israel and lawyers say London has the potential to attract money from diverse sectors, including food and health, which can use cannabis as an ingredient.

The Economist examines the “broadening of the battlefields between Israel and Iran”: “Israel is taking the threat of an attack by Hezbollah seriously”.

Netanyahu frantically tried to reach Trump during G7: Channel 13 news report that Prime Minister Netanyahu had “frantically” tried to reach US President Donald Trump during the G7 summit last weekend in France, to forestall a possible meeting between the American president and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, who made an unscheduled trip to the summit. Trump was reportedly too busy in other high-level meetings to take a phone call from the Israeli prime minister. Trump did not meet with Zarif, although he did indicate an openness to meet in future with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. US Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo subsequently called Netanyahu to express support for Israel’s campaign against Iran, although no call between Netanyahu and Trump is believed to have taken place.

Netanyahu and Feiglin finalise deal: All the Israeli media report the deal between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Moshe Feiglin that was announced at a press conference yesterday afternoon announcing the details of an agreement that would see Feiglin drop out of the election race in return for a cabinet post and other social and economic policy changes in the next Netanyahu government, including the legalisation of medicinal cannabis. The two long-time foes publicly stated their commitment to move forward according to this “shared vision.”

Air gun fired at Blue and White campaign event: Two activists from the Blue and White party were hit by plastic pellets fired from an air gun during a campaign event last night in the town of Rehovot. Two suspects, later apprehended, are believed to have fired from a passing car. The party activists suffered only minor injuries. Blue and White number two Yair Lapid, who was speaking at the event, said: “We will not be deterred or scared. We will continue fighting to change the country in the face of violence and incitement.”

Leave cancelled for combat soldiers in northern Israel: Israeli media report that in light of heightened regional tensions, the Israeli military cancelled all leave indefinitely for combat soldiers serving near the northern border with Lebanon. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has been on elevated alert since a series of reported Israeli air strikes in Syria and Lebanon last weekend, and Hezbollah threats to respond. Nevertheless, the IDF’s Northern Command told local mayors that opening municipal bomb shelters was not necessary at this point.