Clashes broke out in a suburb of the Syrian capital early Tuesday between local gunmen belonging to the minority Druze sect and pro-government fighters, leaving at least nine people dead, a war monitor and an activist group said.

The fighting in the southern Damascus suburb of Jaramana broke out after an audio clip circulated on social media of a man attacking Islam's Prophet Muhammad. The audio was attributed to a Druze cleric, who later denied being involved.

Israeli warplanes last year intercepted Iranian aircraft headed toward Syria, preventing them from delivering troops meant to assist the country's embattled president at the time, Bashar Assad, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday.

The remarks in a speech gave a new glimpse into Israel's thinking in the final days in power for Assad, a longtime enemy who was overthrown by insurgents last December.

Saudi Arabia and Qatar said Sunday they will pay Syria's outstanding debt to the World Bank, a move likely to make the international institution resume its support to the war-torn country.

A joint statement by the finance ministries of Saudi and Qatar said the decision to pay Syria's nearly $15 million debt to the World Bank was made during this month's meetings in Washington by the World Bank and IMF.

The United Nations' highest court opened hearings Monday into Israel's obligation to "ensure and facilitate" urgently needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians in the occupied territories, bringing the ongoing conflict in Gaza back into focus in The Hague.

Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the hearings part of a "systematic persecution and delegitimization" of his country. Speaking in Jerusalem as the hearings began in The Hague, Saar said the court was "becoming completely politicized." He called the proceeding "shameful."

Iran accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday of trying to dictate U.S. policy in negotiations, after he called for the complete dismantling of Tehran's nuclear program and for the inclusion of its ballistic missile capabilities in any deal.

"What is striking... is how brazenly Netanyahu is now dictating what President Trump can and cannot do in his diplomacy with Iran," Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X.

Israeli strikes on the northern Gaza Strip killed at least 17 Palestinians early Monday, according to local health officials.

Israel has carried out daily strikes on Gaza since ending its ceasefire with Hamas last month. It has cut off the territory's 2 million Palestinians from all imports, including food and medicine, since the beginning of March in what it says is an attempt to pressure the militant group to release hostages.

Yemen's Houthi rebels on Monday alleged a U.S. airstrike hit a prison holding African migrants, killing at least 68 people and wounding 47 others. The U.S. military had no immediate comment.

The strike in Yemen's Saada governorate, a stronghold for the Houthis, is the latest incident in the country's decadelong war to kill African migrants from Ethiopia and other nations who risk crossing the nation for a chance to work in neighboring Saudi Arabia.

The Israeli military said Sunday it intercepted a missile fired from Yemen, where the Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the launch, saying it targeted an air base in southern Israel.

Hours after Pope Francis' death was announced, Israel's Foreign Ministry posted a short message on X: "Rest in peace, Pope Francis. May his memory be a blessing." Several hours later, it was deleted without explanation.

Coming at a time of effusive global mourning over Francis' death, the decision to delete the post appeared to reflect the tensions that have emerged between Israel and the Vatican over Francis' frequent criticism of Israel's conduct during the war in Gaza. The Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the deletion.

Israel's military said Saturday it had intercepted a missile fired from Yemen, whose Houthi rebels have launched attacks throughout the Gaza war, as well as a drone approaching "from the east".

"Following the sirens that sounded recently in several areas in Israel, a missile that was launched from Yemen was intercepted" before "crossing into Israeli territory", a military statement said.