Morning update

Morning update Good morning Middle East Eye readers, Here are the latest developments: President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that France would send "military means" to help protect the key Saudi port of Yanbu for oil exports following attacks by Yemen's Houthis.

"We are going to send military assets, meaning soldiers, radars, and defence systems, to protect this site," he said during an interview on the evening news.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said it was up to the United States to choose when the war would end, when he was asked if it could end by the end of the year.

"It's America that must choose whether it wants to end this or not," Pezeshkian said, responding to the question in an interview aired on Thursday evening on Fox News' "Special Report with Bret Baier" show.

The Saudi foreign ministry announced on Friday that the kingdom, Turkey and Pakistan will hold an urgent meeting of their chiefs of staff to discuss ways to back Riyadh amid the escalating tensions with Yemen's Houthis.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has left the US for Israel directly after his speech, Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported.

He met with several leaders following his address, but departed for Israel the same day he arrived to New York. According to Israeli media, Netanyahu’s visit to the city was likely curtailed due to security concerns.

Colombia on Thursday announced that it formally severed diplomatic relations with Iran, citing it "deteriorated" in Tehran.

The Foreign Ministry said the decision took effect on Saturday due to "national and hemispheric security concerns," accusing Iran of human rights violations as well as alleged links to international terrorist and narcoterrorist groups.