- IMF downbeat on growth -

The International Monetary Fund warned that continuing disruptions due to the Iran war meant its global economic outlook was moving towards an "adverse" scenario, with growth pared down and greater risks to inflation.

Last month, the multilateral lender's World Economic Outlook predicted global growth would drop to 3.1 percent in 2026 in its "reference" scenario, but warned of a bleaker outlook if the war were to drag on.

In the "adverse" scenario, where oil prices remain higher for longer, inflation expectations become less stable and financial conditions tighten, growth would slow to 2.5 percent, the Fund said at the time.

- Xi offers help on Hormuz -

US President Donald Trump said President Xi Jinping had offered China's help to open the Strait of Hormuz and pledged not to send military equipment to aid Iran in its war against the US and Israel.

"He said he's not going to give military equipment... he said that strongly," Trump told the "Hannity" show on Fox News, after the two leaders met in Beijing.

"He'd like to see the Hormuz Strait open, and said 'if I can be of any help whatsoever, I would like to help,'" Trump added.

- New Israel-Lebanon talks, strikes -

Israel and Lebanon opened a new round of peace talks in Washington as their latest ceasefire -- considered to still be in place despite hundreds of deaths in Israeli strikes -- nears its end.

On the ground, Israel's military said it was striking Hezbollah targets in south Lebanon on Thursday after warning residents of several towns and villages there and in the country's east to evacuate. It also said a Hezbollah drone fell in Israeli territory, wounding several civilians.

- 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 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."

burs-ach/yad