By Stelios Misinas and Renee Maltezou

ATHENS, March 30 (Reuters) - Abdulaziz Aldarwish decided to take drastic action after his son Yahia's young kidneys failed.

The Syrian construction worker could not afford the 1,200 euros ($1,380) per month needed for dialysis treatment and in any case the public healthcare system in Lebanon, where he worked, is in a state of near-collapse after years of conflict and neglect.

BRUSSELS, March 30 (Reuters) - European Council President Antonio Costa said he had held a 'good call' with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding the war in Iran.

"Good call today with the Prime Minister of Pakistan @CMShehbaz Sharif to hear his assessment on the Iran war, as well as the outcome of the recent consultations between the Foreign Ministers of Egypt, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey held in Islamabad," wrote Costa on X.

"The EU is gravely concerned over the prolongation of the war and its increasing global impact," added Costa.

BEIRUT, March 30 (Reuters) - Iran said on Monday its ambassador to Lebanon would remain in his post in Beirut, defying the Lebanese Foreign Ministry, which has declared him persona non grata and told him to leave.

With war raging in Lebanon between Hezbollah and Israel, the Iranian envoy's status has emerged as a focal point of tension between the Iran-backed group and the Lebanese government, which has been heavily critical of Hezbollah for entering the regional war in support of Tehran and called for talks with Israel.

PRISTINA, March 30 (Reuters) - Kosovo on Monday approved sending troops to Gaza for an international security force as part of a U.S.-backed initiative after last year's ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Several nations including Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan and Albania have committed troops to the International Stabilization Force to keep peace and back a transitional administration in Gaza under U.S. President Donald Trump's "Board of Peace."

By Tom Balmforth and Max Hunder

LONDON/KYIV, March 30 (Reuters) - Ukraine's war has forced the country to become a trailblazer in drone interception. The conflict in the Middle East could be its make-or-break moment to take the technology global.

In an effort to export Ukrainian systems and know-how, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has criss-crossed the Gulf region this weekend to hash out deals with countries that have been targeted by waves of Iranian drone attacks this month.

CAIRO/RAMALLAH, The West Bank, March 27 (Reuters) - An Israeli air strike killed at least three people in the Gaza Strip on Monday, local health officials said, in the latest round of violence since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect more than five months ago.

Medics said three people were killed and two others wounded when an Israeli plane fired a missile at a group of Palestinians near the Zeitoun neighbourhood in Gaza City. There was no immediate Israeli comment.

MADRID, March 30 (Reuters) - Spain has closed its airspace to U.S. planes involved in attacks on Iran, a step beyond its previous denial of use of jointly-operated military bases, Spanish newspaper El Pais reported on Monday, citing military sources.

The closure of its airspace, which forces military planes to bypass NATO member Spain en route to their targets in the Middle East, does not include emergency situations, El Pais added.

The Spanish Ministry of Defence did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Here are the latest developments in the Middle East war:

- Four Israeli soldiers killed in south Lebanon -

The Israeli military said Tuesday that four soldiers had been killed in combat in southern Lebanon, where its forces are clashing with Iran-backed Hezbollah.

A military statement named three soldiers from the same battalion who "fell during combat", and a separate statement said another soldier whose name had not yet been cleared for publication had died in the same incident.

By Kyu-seok Shim

SEOUL, March 30 (Reuters) - South Korea is considering extending driving curbs to the general public if global oil prices climb further, senior officials said, as authorities seek to rein in energy demand amid supply strains due to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.

Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said on Sunday the government could expand restrictions on passenger car use beyond public institutions if crude prices rise to around $120–$130 a barrel, up from the current $100–$110 range.

Iran confirmed on Monday that an Israeli strike had killed the commander of the naval force of the Revolutionary Guards, who Israel had said was responsible for the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz.

A statement carried by the Guards' Sepah News website said Alireza Tangsiri "succumbed to severe injuries" from the attack last week.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced on Thursday that an Israeli airstrike had killed Tangsiri, describing him as the "man who was directly responsible for the terrorist operation of mining and blocking the Strait of Hormuz".