DOHA, March 10 (Reuters) - Qatar wants to strengthen its defence partnership with the United States in the wake of Iranian air strikes on Qatari territory, the foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday, even as it sees the existing deal as an important deterrent.

Iran launched missile and drone attacks on its oil-producing Gulf neighbours after U.S.-Israeli strikes that killed its top leaders. The conflict disrupted output in the region and sent oil prices surging.

WASHINGTON, March 10 (Reuters) - The top U.S. general said on Tuesday that the United States was carrying out strikes against Iranian mine-laying vessels.

The war has effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for global oil and liquefied natural gas transport, leaving tankers unable to sail for more than a week and forcing producers to halt pumping as storage fills.

"(U.S. Central Command) continues today to hunt and strike mine-laying vessels and mine storage facilities," General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters.

WASHINGTON, March 10 (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday would be the most intense day of strikes against Iran in the campaign so far.

Speaking with reporters, Hegseth said Tuesday would bring the most fighter jets and bombers against Iran.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Susan Heavey, Katharine Jackson, editing by Michelle Nichols)

By Michael Holden

LONDON, March 10 (Reuters) - A former member of Syria's Air Force Intelligence attended a British court hearing via videolink on Tuesday charged with crimes against humanity and torture relating to the suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations in Damascus in 2011.

Salem Michel Al-Salem, 58, who now lives in Britain, appeared virtually at the hearing at London's Westminster Magistrates' Court from his home. He was wearing a breathing apparatus mask and the court was told he suffered from degenerative motor neurone disease.

JERUSALEM, March 10 (Reuters) - The Israeli military illegally used white phosphorus munitions over homes in the southern Lebanese town Yohmor on March 3, posing a threat to civilians, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report on Monday.

"The incendiary effects of white phosphorus can cause death or cruel injuries that result in lifelong suffering," Ramzi Kaiss, Lebanon researcher at Human Rights Watch, said in the statement.

March 10 (Reuters) - The Afghan Taliban on Tuesday called the U.S decision to designate Afghanistan a "state sponsor of wrongful detention" regrettable, and said it wanted to resolve the matter through dialogue after the U.S. demanded the release of U.S. citizens held.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday he was designating the Taliban government a "state sponsor of wrongful detention," and urged Kabul to free all detained U.S. citizens, including Mahmood Habibi and Dennis Coyle.

Humanitarian needs in Iran are growing sharply due to the war, the Red Cross said Tuesday as it launched an emergency appeal for more than $50 million.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said its appeal for 40 million Swiss francs ($51.5 million) would help support five million people through the next 16 months.

"Across the country, communities are facing growing humanitarian needs related to health care, shelter, water and sanitation, and mental health and psychosocial support," the IFRC said.

NEW DELHI, March 10 (Reuters) - A second Iranian ship is currently nine nautical miles from Sri Lanka's coast, a spokesperson for Sri Lanka's cabinet said on Tuesday, adding that it would eventually be moved.

(Reporting by Uditha Jayasinghe, writing by Hritam Mukherjee; Editing by YP Rajesh)

Here are the latest economic events in the Middle East war on Saturday:

- Kharg Island bombed, Iran threatens US-linked oil targets -

President Donald Trump said the US heavily bombed military targets on Iran's Kharg Island, which handles almost all of the country's crude exports, and threatened to hit the island's oil infrastructure.

Fresh Israeli strikes hit Beirut's southern suburbs and south Lebanon on Tuesday after the Israeli army warned people to evacuate, with Lebanese authorities saying nearly 760,000 people had been registered as displaced.

Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war last week when Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes.