- New Israel-Lebanon talks, strikes -

Israel and Lebanon opened a new round of peace talks in Washington on Thursday as their latest ceasefire was set to expire, diplomats said.

On the ground, Israel and Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group exchanged fire.

Several Israeli civilians were injured when in a Hezbollah drone strike, the military said.

The Israeli military said it had struck "Hezbollah terror infrastructure sites" in several areas in southern Lebanon.

- Chinese ships pass Hormuz -

Iranian media reported Thursday that naval forces had allowed a group of Chinese ships to pass through the strategic Strait of Hormuz since the night before.

"Following a decision by the Islamic republic, a number of Chinese vessels have been allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz under Iranian-managed transit protocols," the Tasnim news agency said.

It added that the passage, which was requested by Beijing, began on Wednesday evening after "an understanding on Iranian management protocols".

- Iran lashes out at UAE -

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Thursday accused the United Arab Emirates of playing what he called an active role in the US-Israeli war against Iran.

"The UAE is an active partner in this aggression, and there is no doubt about it," Araghchi said while attending the BRICS summit in India. "It also became clear that they participated in these attacks and may have even acted directly against us."

- Vessel taken near Hormuz -

A ship off the UAE coast near the Strait of Hormuz has been taken by unknown people and is now headed towards Iran, a UK maritime agency said.

The vessel was "taken by unauthorised personnel whilst at anchor" 38 nautical miles northeast of Fujairah, and "is now bound for Iranian territorial waters", according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre.

- Trump, Xi discuss Mideast -

US President Donald Trump and China's leader Xi Jinping discussed the war in the Middle East, along with the conflict in Ukraine and issues on the Korean Peninsula when they met in Beijing, the Chinese government said.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said earlier that the United States was looking for China to "play a more active role in getting Iran to walk away from what they are doing now, and trying to do now in the Persian Gulf".

- UAE 'denies reports' of Netanyahu visit -

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said he held a "secret" meeting with the president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, during the war with Iran.

"The visit marked a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates," it said.

The UAE foreign ministry said it "denies reports circulating regarding an alleged visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the UAE, or receiving any Israeli military delegation in the country".

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