Morning update

Live Blog Update| War on Iran 16 September 2026 07:53 BST Good morning Middle East Eye readers, Here are the latest developments: At least 50 children are among over 100 Palestinians still stuck beneath a collapsed building in Gaza City, Aljazeera reported citing a civil defence team. So far, 11 bodies have been recovered while 12 other people were rescued alive. Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree said a Saudi F-15 fighter jet was downed over the Marib governorate in Yemen. "In the face of this brutal aggression against our country and people, the Yemeni armed forces – with God’s help and grace – were able to shoot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet while it was conducting hostile operations in support of its military buildup in the airspace of Marib governorate," he said in a statement. The US has changed its travel advisory for Saudi Arabia to Level 3 amid the kingdom's escalating conflict with Yemen. The US State Department’s international travel website warned of several risks under the "reconsider travel" advisory, including armed conflict, missile and drone attacks from Iran and threats from Houthis in Yemen. The spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition forces in Yemen said that Saudi Royal Air Defence Forces have intercepted a drone launched by the Houthis south of Mecca. Houthi official Hezam al-Asad denied the allegations, saying that "claims about targeting Mecca are a worn-out lie that has been used before and no longer fools anyone". US Vice President JD Vance said that Washington has completed its objectives for the first phase of the war on iran, adding that the conflict will enter a new one in the coming months. "We can’t predict the future, but I think the president is right to say that this thing will enter a much different phase in a couple of months," he told the New York Post.