US Secretary of State Marco Rubio pledged strong support for Qatar's security on a lightning visit on Tuesday, as anger boils in the Gulf ally over last week's Israeli attack on Hamas negotiators.

On a hastily arranged stop in Doha after a visit to Israel, Rubio shook hands with Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in his office before entering closed door talks that lasted just under an hour.

He flew out straight after the meeting.

(Reuters) - The Israeli military launched a ground offensive on Monday to seize Gaza City, the enclave's largest urban centre, Axios reported, citing Israeli officials.

The Israeli military did not immediately respond to request for comment on the reported move, which comes after weeks of intensive Israeli strikes on the city.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military last month to capture Gaza City, which he describes as a stronghold of the militant group Hamas that launched the October 2023 surprise attack on Israel.

By Elizabeth Piper and Steve Holland

LONDON (Reuters) -Prime Minister Keir Starmer hopes the pomp of a royal welcome for U.S. President Donald Trump on a state visit to Britain this week will offer him protection from possible pitfalls on anything from free speech to scandal over Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump arrives in Britain late on Tuesday, to be greeted over the next two days by King Charles and then Starmer on a visit expected to be heavy on red carpet treatment and the promotion of investment deals to draw the two nations' economies closer.

TEL AVIV (Reuters) -Qatar and the United States are on the verge of finalising an enhanced defence cooperation agreement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday while departing Tel Aviv for Doha.

Rubio is visiting the Middle East amid heightened tensions after Israel attacked Hamas political leaders in Qatar last week drawing widespread criticism.

(Reporting by Simon Lewis, Writing by Nayera Abdallah; Editing by Michael Georgy)

BOGOTA (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said in a determination on Monday that Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma, Colombia and Venezuela were to be added to a list of countries that the United States believes have "failed demonstrably" to uphold their obligations under counternarcotics agreements during the past 12 months, a decision that could affect funding for the named countries.

(Reuters) -The United States can export "Reaper"-style and other advanced military drones more easily following a reinterpretation of its export control policies approved by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the State Department announced on Monday.

By Kanishka Singh

(Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he was not informed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in advance about Israel's attack in Qatar last week.

Trump's comments came after an Axios report said that Netanyahu informed the U.S. president of the strike shortly ahead of time.

By Simon Lewis

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday visited a contentious archaeological site beneath Jerusalem, giving U.S. backing to a Jewish settler-led project that critics say undermines prospects for a future Palestinian state.

The visit, from which international and local media were barred, marked the latest endorsement by the Trump administration of initiatives that opponents say are aimed at cementing Israel’s claims to East Jerusalem, which Palestinians view as the capital of a future state.

By Steven Scheer

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel needs to invest heavily in "influence operations" in traditional and social media to counteract economic isolation arising from negative publicity abroad, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday.

Speaking at a Finance Ministry conference, Netanyahu said foreign investment into Israel had held up in the wake of a 12-day war against Iran in June, which he said removed an immediate threat of a nuclear-armed foe.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called Monday for Israel to be barred from international sport over the Gaza war, as it emerged his government had also cancelled an $825 million military contract with the country.

Sanchez expressed "deep admiration" for thousands of protesters who forced the halt of the final stage of the Vuelta a Espana, one of the world's biggest cycling races, in Spain on Sunday.

He said Israel should be penalised just as Russia was over its invasion of Ukraine -- angering Israel, which had a team in the race, as well as Spanish conservatives.