Gaza's health ministry said Israeli forces detained hundreds of staff, patients and displaced people during a raid on Friday on the last functioning hospital in the territory's embattled north.

"Israeli forces have stormed and are present inside Kamal Adwan Hospital" in the city of Jabalia, the ministry said in a statement.

"They are detaining hundreds of patients, medical staff and some displaced individuals from neighbouring areas who sought refuge in the hospital from continuous bombardment."

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken vowed Friday to work with "real urgency" for a diplomatic resolution to end Israel's offensive in Lebanon but said it was first critical to reach understandings on disarmament of Hezbollah.

Shortly after meeting Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati in London, Blinken also pleaded for protection of civilians but stopped short of urging an immediate ceasefire by Israel, which relies on US diplomatic and military support.

The killing of Hezbollah's powerful leader Hassan Nasrallah a month ago has marked a fundamental shift for the Iran-backed Lebanese movement and revived calls for it to surrender its vast weapons arsenal.

"The death of Nasrallah marked the end of an era," said analyst Sam Heller of the US-based think tank Century Foundation.

After decades at the helm, Nasrallah's death "will necessarily mark a shift for the organisation", Heller added.

Nasrallah's influence extended far beyond his loyal Shiite Muslim support base in Lebanon.

Lebanon's Transport minister said on Friday that Israeli bombing made a second border crossing between the country and Syria inoperable -- leaving only one main official passage between the two nations operational.

"The Qaa crossing has been put out of service after an Israeli strike on Syrian territory," Ali Hamieh told AFP, adding that the strike blocked the passage of vehicles.

Iranian photographer Tannaz was on her way to Tehran's airport when European sanctions on flag carrier Iran Air forced her to return home, unable to make it to work in Paris.

It was within hours of the European Union announcing measures last week against prominent Iranian officials and entities, including airlines, accused of involvement in the transfer of missiles and drones for Russia to use in its war against Ukraine.

Three journalists were killed in an Israeli air strike overnight, Lebanese state media NNA said Friday, with a pro-Iran broadcaster adding that the raids targeted a residence of press workers in southeastern Lebanon.

Israeli military planes struck at 3:30 am (0030 GMT) near the Syrian border, leaving three dead, NNA said.

Pro-Iran Lebanese television channel Al Mayadeen said its cameraman Ghassan Najjar, as well as broadcast engineer Mohammad Reda, were killed in the Israeli air strike targeting a "journalists' residence in Hasbaya, South Lebanon".

The international community should work to end the conflict in the Middle East and address the "huge" humanitarian crisis that has engulfed countries in the region, the head of the IMF's Middle East and Central Asia department said Thursday.

Jihad Azour spoke to AFP in Washington, where the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are currently taking place.

Saudi Arabia's football body said it was ending the contract of national coach Roberto Mancini after 14 months in the job on Thursday, following a run of poor results.

The Saudi Football Federation has reached a mutual agreement to terminate the contract of Mancini, 59, who signed a lucrative deal until 2027 in August last year, a statement said.

Building a strong national team is a priority for the oil-rich Saudis who splashed more than a billion dollars on players last year and are the sole bidders for the 2034 World Cup.

Tunisian freediver Walid Boudhiaf, the Arab world's only international champion in the sport and a one-time world record holder at 150 metres, is eyeing new achievements and hopes to expand the sport in his home country, where "thousands practise it without even realising".

During a recent visit to Tunisia, the 46-year-old, who spends half the year in Colombia and the other half training in the Bahamas, shared his remarkable journey with AFP.

Though he grew up in Tunisia, where he spent most of his summers by the sea, Boudhiaf didn't discover freediving until later.

Rescuers in central Gaza said an Israeli strike on Thursday killed at least 17 people at a school-turned-shelter, where the Israeli military said it had targeted Hamas militants.

Al-Shuhada school in Nuseirat refugee camp, where Hamas authorities said displaced Palestinians had sought refuge, was the latest target in a series of attacks on similar facilities across the Gaza Strip in recent months.