By Gram Slattery and Humeyra Pamuk

ANKARA, July 8 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday told reporters there had been "tremendous unity" at the NATO summit in Turkey and also promised to increase U.S. defense production.

"They (European nations) want the American equipment, because it works better," Trump told a press conference.

By Parisa Hafezi and Angus McDowall

DUBAI, July 8 - Control over the Strait of Hormuz has become a "golden weapon" to Iran, for which it is willing to risk new escalations with the United States, and is a bigger priority than a nuclear programme for which it accepted decades of sanctions.

So central is the issue to Iranian strategy that ships passing the Strait without Tehran's approval were fired upon this week, leading to an exchange of fire with the United States that threatens last month's interim peace deal.

MOSCOW, July 8 (Reuters) - Russia introduced a ban on diesel exports on Wednesday as part of a raft of measures to support the domestic fuel market after systematic Ukrainian drone attacks on oil refineries triggered shortages and price spikes in some regions.

Drivers in many regions are facing hours-long lines to refuel, as intensifying Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure squeeze supplies of diesel and gasoline.

July 8 (Reuters) - Donald Trump’s Board of Peace is planning a pilot humanitarian zone for Gazans as a way to kickstart the U.S. president's stalled peace plan, regardless of whether a deal is reached with Hamas on the peace plan's second phase, a board official said.

The official didn't specify the location, but said the Trump-appointed board had identified secure areas that could host tens of thousands of Gazans, where goods and services could be scaled up to meet the humanitarian needs of those willing to move there.

ANKARA, July 8 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he thought Israel would withdraw troops from southern Lebanon because it wanted to take that step, despite comments from Israel's leader indicating otherwise.

Trump told reporters at the NATO Summit in Ankara that he had discussed a withdrawal with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"Yeah, I think they're going to. I think they want to," Trump said. "So we have a deal with Israel and Lebanon. Yeah, they'll leave. And I think it's going to work out very well."

By Gram Slattery and Humeyra Pamuk

ANKARA, July 8 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to attack Iran again after saying an initial ceasefire deal with the Islamic Republic was "over", though he has not made clear whether Washington would be returning to full-on war with Iran.

By Jonathan Saul, Marwa Rashad and Andrew Mills

LONDON/DOHA, July 8 (Reuters) - A Qatari LNG tanker remained stranded off Oman on Wednesday after a projectile strike sparked a fire in its engine room, though industry sources said the vessel's cargo appeared secure and the risk of an explosion was low for now.

By Sabine Siebold

ANKARA, July 8 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump told NATO allies he wanted to keep the United States in the alliance at a leaders' meeting in Ankara on Wednesday, a source familiar with the talks told Reuters.

Inside the closed summit meeting, he also said the U.S. was prepared to continue selling weapons to allies no matter how they were put to use, the source said, requesting anonymity.

The source quoted Trump as having told NATO leaders: "We want to remain with you".