U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has assured Yemen's leader that the world body will remain impartial in efforts to resolve the country's conflict, rejecting accusations that its envoy was siding with rebels.

Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar, who is leading a military offensive against the U.N.-recognized government in Tripoli, said in an interview published Sunday he will continue fighting until militias in the city laid down their arms.

Haftar had justified the offensive last month by saying he was fighting against "private militias and extremist groups" who he said were gaining influence in the capital under Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he believed a deal to form a new coalition government remained possible only days ahead of the deadline as speculation mounted over the possibility of fresh elections.

Iraqi leaders have warned of the risks of war during a visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, whose country is locked in a tense standoff with the United States.

President Donald Trump's administration has notified Congress it will bypass a required review to sell weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, citing a threat from Iran, a senator said Friday.

The U.S. will bolster its military presence in the Middle East with an additional 1,500 troops, President Donald Trump said Friday amid heightened tensions with Iran.

Trump said the troops would have a "mostly protective" role. He spoke to reporters on the White House lawn as he headed out on a trip to Japan.

A Saudi tanker damaged off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in mid-May appears to have leaked a trail of oil, satellite images released on Friday show.

Turkey and Qatar risk losing geopolitical influence due to turmoil in Libya and Sudan, as regional rivals Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates extend their own reach, analysts said.

The Libyan navy has rescued some 290 migrants from sinking boats off the coast of Tripoli in two separate operations, officials said Friday.

The Yemeni president has accused U.N. envoy Martin Griffiths of siding with the country's Huthi rebels in a letter addressed to the U.N. chief.