The latest developments in the Middle East war:

- Hezbollah fires on Israel -

Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah fired about 30 rockets into northern Israel early Wednesday, the Israeli military said, just hours after the start of Lebanese-Israeli talks in Washington.

Hezbollah said Tuesday that it had targeted 13 northern Israeli towns with rockets shortly after the talks began.

- Pakistan shuttle diplomacy -

By Joshua McElwee

ANNABA, Algeria, April 14 (Reuters) - Pope Leo paid homage to his spiritual roots on Tuesday, travelling to the ancient birthplace in Algeria of St. Augustine of Hippo, who inspired him to become a priest.

The first American pope has drawn the ire of U.S. President Donald Trump after sharply criticising the Iran war. In honouring Augustine, Leo was highlighting a personal connection to a major figure of the early Church who first proposed criteria to evaluate whether wars could be considered just.

By Alexander Cornwell and Laila Bassam

JERUSALEM/BEIRUT, April 14 (Reuters) - Israeli and Lebanese envoys will meet in Washington on Tuesday as Israel presses its war on Hezbollah, a diplomatic milestone overshadowed by conflicting agendas with Israel ruling out a ceasefire and demanding Beirut disarm the Iran-backed group.

PARIS, April 14 (Reuters) - Diplomatic meetings led by France and Britain this week to discuss a potential future multinational mission will be structured around a series of working groups, ranging from possible sanctions on Iran to cooperation with industry to ensure maritime transit, a person familiar with the matter said.

ROME, April 14 (Reuters) - Italy's government has decided to suspend the automatic renewal of a defence cooperation deal with Israel, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Tuesday, citing the conflicts in the Middle East.

Meloni's right-wing government has been one of Israel's closest allies in Europe, but in recent weeks it has criticised Israeli attacks on Lebanon. Those affected have included Italian troops serving there under a U.N. mandate.

DOHA, April 14 (Reuters) - There have been no discussions between Qatar and Iran over the payment of funds to stop Iranian attacks on Qatar and any suggestions that such discussions took place are untrue, the Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.

"There is a high level of coordination with Pakistan and the Unites States, our demands are being raised through these channels," Majed Al-Ansari said in a media briefing.

(Reporting by Andrew Mills; Editing by Alison Williams)

ANKARA, April 14 (Reuters) - A teenager opened fire at a high school in Turkey's southeastern province of Sanliurfa on Tuesday, wounding at least 16 people, including students and teachers, before killing himself, Governor Hasan Sildak said.

The assailant, a 19-year-old former student, used a shotgun in the attack in the Siverek district. The wounded were taken to hospital, with five later transferred to facilities in Sanliurfa city centre for further treatment, Sildak said.

PARIS, April 14 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will chair a video conference in Paris on Friday for countries that are willing to contribute to the defensive multilateral mission to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz when security conditions permit, the French presidency said on Tuesday.

Senior diplomats will hold a video call on Wednesday ahead of the leaders meeting, two European diplomats said.

(Reporting by Michel Rose and John Irish; Writing by Makini Brice; Editing by Dominique Vidalon)

France and Britain will co-host a video conference Friday of countries ready to contribute to a "purely defensive mission" to secure the Strait of Hormuz, the French president's office said.

President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will co-chair the meeting to discuss a plan to "restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz when security conditions allow", the Elysee said on Tuesday.

LONDON, April 14 (Reuters) - British finance minister Rachel Reeves said on Tuesday she was "very frustrated and angry" over what she said was the United States' failure to have a clear exit plan or objectives for the war in Iran, according to the Mirror newspaper.

"This is a war that we did not start. It was a war that we did not want. I feel very frustrated and angry that the U.S. went into this war without a clear exit plan, without a clear idea of what they were trying to achieve," Reeves told the newspaper.