The Telegraph, BBC News and The Guardian report a growing fear of a new confrontation in the Persian Gulf after the United States accused Iranian naval forces of carrying out “dangerous and harassing” manoeuvres near its ships in the region. The Times reports that marines from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps are suspected of seizing an oil tanker at the entrance to the Gulf before releasing her when they discovered the tanker was Chinese.

The Guardian, The Telegraph, Reuters and The Times report that Israel’s opposition leader, Benny Gantz, has failed to form a coalition government after talks with Benjamin Netanyahu stalled, pushing the country further towards an unprecedented fourth round of elections. The Associated Press reports that on Thursday, President Reuven Rivlin asked the Knesset to choose a new prime minister, giving parliament three weeks to agree upon a leader or plunge the country into an unprecedented fourth consecutive election in just over a year.

Reuters reports that Israel’s military said on Thursday it has begun converting common home-use respirators into ventilators capable of providing potentially life-saving breathing support for Covid-19 patients.

The Guardian, The Telegraph and BBC News report a senior Saudi royal and granddaughter of the country’s founding monarch has revealed she is being held in prison and demanded that the current ruler and her cousin, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, release her and provide medical care.

Reuters reports that the UN Yemen envoy Martin Griffiths said on Thursday he expects the warring parties to formally adopt “in the immediate future” agreements on a nationwide ceasefire, key economic and humanitarian measures and a resumption of political talks.

The Financial Times and The Guardian reports that calls by NGOs for increased protection of domestic workers in Lebanon during the coronavirus crisis have cast a spotlight on the predicament of migrant workers across the Middle East.

The Times reports that the troubled oil services group, Petrofac, has lost $1.5 billion of Gulf contracts it had won only two months ago, sending it shares down 15 per cent yesterday.

The Financial Times reports that Gulf sovereign wealth funds including Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala are mobilising to buy assets whose valuations have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, including Newcastle Football Club.

The Independent reports that Saudia Arabia has carried out 800 executions since King Salman bin Abdulaziz took power in 2015, according to a British-based human rights organisation.

The Independent reports that Iraq has suspended the licence of the Reuters news agency after it published a story saying the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country was higher than officially reported.

In The Independent, Ahmed Aboudouh argues that in Egypt, social stigma of Covid-19 is spreading faster than the virus itself, as many of the recovered will not admit they have had encountered the virus for fear of being shunned.

In the Financial Times, Mehul Srivastava meets the Arab medics “battling coronavirus in Israel’s segregated society”, as the politically marginalised community currently makes up one-fifth of Israel’s doctors and a quarter of Israel’s nurses.

The Israeli media report there are now 12,855 confirmed coronavirus cases in Israel, with 148 fatalities. There are at least 181 patients in serious condition, of whom 129 are on ventilators. According to Ynet, there are around 158 patients in moderate condition, 9,464 people displaying only mild symptoms and 2,818 having made a full recovery from the virus. There are currently 625 coronavirus patients receiving treatment in hospitals while 7,227 people are fighting the virus at home. Another 1,366 people are currently receiving treatment in specially designated hotels and 580 are awaiting a decision on where they will be treated. Haaretz notes there have been 282 cases diagnosed in the West Bank so far.

All the Israeli media report that last night Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outlined an exit strategy to gradually reopen parts of the commercial sector. Under the proposal recommended by the National Security Council, businesses designated by the Finance Ministry will be gradually allowed to open, according to Ministry of Health guidelines. In addition, Israelis will also be able to venture 500 metres from their homes, up from the current 100 meter restriction, while pupils in special education will be able to return to school. The Cabinet is expected to approve the relief measures on Saturday night, after drawing up detailed regulations for businesses that will be opened and for the behaviour of the public.

Israel Hayom reports the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem will be closed for worship during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan for the first time in its history. According to Kan Radio News, the Waqf-the Islamic religious trust that controls the site – announced last night that due to the spread of the coronavirus, Al-Aqsa Mosque would remain closed. The statement said that this was a painful measure, but that it was for an important cause – preserving human lives.

Maariv reports that dozens of ultra-Orthodox rioters clashed with police in Jerusalem’s Mea Shearim neighbourhood protesting the lockdown imposed on the area. Police said that rioters threw eggs and stones at law enforcement. Channel 12 News showed footage from the riot where several people were injured by stun grenades used by the police. Those injured, including an eight-year-old girl, sustained light wounds. Walla News reports that several hundred demonstrators gathered last night at Habima Square in Tel Aviv, as part of the “black flag” protest against governmental corruption. The protestors, mindful of the Health Ministry’s restrictions, stood at a two-metre distance from one another, according to markings made in the square earlier.