BBC News, the Guardian, Telegraph, Independent  and Reuters report that a US Navy drone has been shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile while in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz, as tensions between the US and Iran continue to intensify. Earlier, Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said it had shot down a US drone over Iranian airspace, near Kuhmobarak, in the southern province of Hormozgan.

Reuters reports that Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz said Israel expects to launch US-mediated talks with Lebanon on setting their maritime border within a month. Lebanon has not commented publicly on whether it would attend talks. “I hope that in the next month, during this summer, that we will begin negotiations,” Steinitz said. “They said that yes, they are prepared to sit and solve the dispute but there are still the terms (to be agreed).” The US, which has been sending a senior envoy on shuttle missions between Lebanon and Israel, has not announced a date or venue but said it is prepared to help resolve the dispute.

The Guardian and Reuters report that the UK, France and Germany will mount a diplomatic offensive to dissuade Iran from breaching the uranium limits set out in the JCPOA nuclear greement, warning that the risk of war in the region “has not been averted”. The diplomatic offensive includes a visit by the UK’s new Middle East Minister, Andrew Murrison, the first visit by a British minister since the UK claimed its intelligence showed Iran was behind the Gulf of Oman incident. Reuters reports that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has stated that Iran would not delay the deadline to save the JCPOA, but is waiting on evidence that the EU can establish a financial vehicle through which European nations can trade with Iran and avoid US sanctions.

The Guardian, Telegraph and Reuters report that oil firms have begun evacuating staff from the Burjesia residential and operations headquarters after a short-range Katyusha rocket hit the Iraqi compound housing several international oil companies, including ExxonMobil. The incident follows two separate attacks in as many days on bases that house US military personnel in Iraq and a series of attacks on oil infrastructure and tankers in the Middle East.

The Independent and Reuters report that US explosive expert Sean Kido has claimed that explosives allegedly used during the Gulf of Oman incident bore a “striking resemblance” to limpet mines publicly displayed by Iran. Kido showed reporters pieces of debris and a magnet that he claimed the IRGC left behind when it allegedly removed an unexploded mine after the incident.

BBC News, the Guardian, Telegraph, Times, Independent, Financial Times and Reuters report that UN special rapporteur Agnes Callamard has identified credible evidence that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other high-level officials are individually liable for the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. The report says the evidence merits further investigation by an independent and impartial international inquiry. Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Adel al-Jubeir, rejected the report, tweeting that it was “nothing new” and contained “clear contradictions and baseless allegations which challenge its credibility”.

The Financial Times reports that Saudi Aramco is taking steps to clarify its financial links with Saudi Arabia’s energy ministry to shield the oil company from legal risks and head off investor criticism ahead of a potential listing. One issue revolves around the company’s tradition of paying for ministerial expenses — including those incurred by Energy Minister Khalid Al Falih, who is Aramco’s chairman. The move is part of a broader push to improve governance and draw a line between the finances of the company and the ministry. “If they are financially intertwined, even in a blurred way, that would bolster a legal argument that Aramco is not legally distinguishable from the Saudi state,” said Valerie Marcel, an associate fellow at Chatham House.

Reuters reports that the US Senate will vote on Thursday on legislation seeking to block President Donald Trump’s plan to complete $8bn in arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, making clear that lawmakers want a harder line against alleged human rights abuses by the two countries. Trump declared an emergency tied to threats from Iran in order to go ahead with the military sales in defiance of congressional objections. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced an agreement on Wednesday to hold the vote, after a group of lawmakers, including Republicans, filed 22 separate resolutions of disapproval to the deals in May.

In the Guardian, Oliver Holmes and Hazem Balousha argue that the Israeli blockade on Gaza has unjustly resulted in the separation of parents from their critically ill children.

The Israeli media focus on the police investigation of Mahmoud Katusa for an alleged assault on a seven-year-old Israeli child, with the story dominating broadcast media and featuring on the front page of Maariv. In the latest development, it is reported that police are considering withdrawing the indictment and are seeking more evidence. Katusa’s lawyer, interviewed on Army Radio, reiterated his client’s denial of any connection to the case and welcomed media scrutiny of its handling.

Chen Artzi-Sor writing in Yediot Ahronot criticises “sloppy and lazy” police work. She likens the case to another high profile case, of Dalal Daoud who murdered her abusive husband. Daoud’s scheduled release after 18 years is featured on the front page of Haaretz and Maariv.

Israeli broadcast media report on tensions in the leadership of the Blue and White party. According to reports dominating the front pages of Israel Hayom and Yediot Ahronot, former defence minister Moshe Ya’alon has criticised his Blue and White partner and former finance minister, Yair Lapid, for his insistence that Lapid rotate the role of prime minister with Blue and White leader Benny Gantz, should the party form a government.

Yediot Ahronot reports tensions between Jewish Home party leader and newly appointed education minister Rafi Peretz, and National Union leader and newly appointed transport minister Betzalel Smotrich, over the extent to which work on major transport infrastructure projects should be allowed to take place on Shabbat. Smotrich is quoted on the front page of Israel Hayom calling accusations that he will pursue a ‘Halachic state’ a ‘fear campaign’, whilst Kan radio news reports that Jewish Home has opted to retain the same candidate list for September’s election.

The front page of Maariv is taken over by a picture of former Mossad director Shabtai Shavit, who has launched a frontal attack on Netanyahu’s voters. In an interview to be published in full on Friday, he calls them unthinking, and says that their normative threshold is at ground level.

Haaretz reports on the latest request from Prime Minister Netanyahu for him to be allowed to receive funds from wealthy individuals to pay for his legal defence, in the form of a loan. The paper also reports warnings from officials that the country is not prepared for potential wartime casualties, whilst Israel Hayom features security cabinet deliberations relating to Iranian provocations, and the warning from Prime Minister Netanyahu that the Iranians “should not test us”.