U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States has no closer friend than Britain, as he welcomed King Charles III to the White House on a state visit clouded by tensions over the Iran war.

Speaking after a pomp-filled welcome on the South Lawn featuring a 21-gun salute, Trump's tone was a world away from his recent jibes at British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for failing to join in against Tehran.

Efforts to end the Middle East war appeared at a standstill on Tuesday, with the US considering Tehran's latest offer to unblock the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran saying Washington could no longer dictate terms.

Iran has blockaded the waterway -- a vital conduit for oil and gas shipments -- since the start of the U.S.-Israeli offensive two months ago, sending shockwaves through the global economy.

Saudi Arabia welcomed leaders and officials from across the Gulf on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing crisis in the region triggered by the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.

Israel's top diplomat on Tuesday said Israel was not seeking to take territory in Lebanon, as its military presses operations in the south despite a ceasefire.

"Israel has no territorial ambitions in Lebanon. Our presence in the areas by our northern border serves one purpose: protecting our citizens," Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said at a joint news conference with his Serbian counterpart Marko Djuric.

President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday slammed Israel for allegedly accepting shipments of Ukrainian grain "stolen" by Russia, which occupies swathes of Ukrainian agricultural land.

"Another vessel carrying such grain has arrived at a port in Israel and is preparing to unload," Zelensky wrote in a statement on social media.

The head of Israel's Mossad has praised the spy agency's "groundbreaking" operations in the war against Iran and Hezbollah, saying it acquired intelligence "from the heart of the enemy's secrets".

"In the campaigns against Iran and Hezbollah, we worked shoulder-to-shoulder with the IDF, on both defense and offence," David Barnea said, referring to the Israeli military.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hezbollah's rockets and drones were a key threat demanding military action, as Israel's army expanded strikes on Lebanon where authorities reported four dead on Monday despite a ceasefire.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said direct talks with Israel sought to end the Israel-Hezbollah war and that those who dragged Lebanon into it were the ones committing "treason" -- a jab at the Iran-backed group, which claimed several attacks on Israeli targets in south Lebanon on Monday.

Israel's military chief of staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir issued a sharp warning to troops about looting on Monday, and said using social media to spread "questionable" messages was crossing "a red line".

Israel's chief of staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir warned Monday that the country's military was likely to be fighting on multiple fronts throughout 2026, as it fights wars against Iran and Hezbollah.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said rockets and drones possessed by Hezbollah remained a key threat that demanded further military action by Israel's military in Lebanon.

Israel and Hezbollah have traded blame over violations of the fragile 10-day ceasefire in Lebanon agreed earlier this month, which has since been extended, and attacks by both sides have continued.