France and Britain said Friday they will lead a multinational mission ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, while emphasising the force would be entirely defensive -- and only deployed once a peace in the region was agreed.

"I can confirm that, along with France, the UK will lead a multinational mission to protect freedom of navigation as soon as conditions allow," British Prime Minister Starmer said after co-chairing a meeting in Paris on the issue alongside French President Emmanuel Macron.

LONDON, April 17 (Reuters) - The threat posed by mines in parts of the Strait of Hormuz is not fully understood and avoidance of the area by ships should be considered, a U.S. navy advisory said on Friday.

"Status of TSS mine threat is not fully understood. Consider avoidance of that area," said the advisory sent by the US navy’s US NCAGS agency to mariners and seen by Reuters.

By Parisa Hafezi and Jonathan Saul

DUBAI, April 17 (Reuters) - All ships can sail through the Strait of Hormuz but this needs to be coordinated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a senior Iranian official told Reuters, adding that unfreezing Iranian funds was part of the deal.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi wrote on X that the strait was open after a ceasefire accord was agreed in Lebanon, while U.S. President Donald Trump said he believed a deal to end the Iran war would come "soon", although the timing remains unclear.

When seaman Rex Pereira saw missiles flying above his vessel in the Gulf, it sparked in him one desperate wish: to get back home to India.

Stranded by the Middle East war, like thousands of other seafarers, he feared for his life as he saw bombardments in the distance in Iran.

When he demanded to be repatriated from his supply vessel docked in Iraq, he did not expect the process would take him weeks and cost him hundreds of dollars.

By Tarek Amara

TUNIS, April 17 (Reuters) - Tunisian comedian and actor Lotfi Abdelli said on Friday a court in Tunisia had sentenced him in absentia to 18 months in prison over a play he performed years ago, and described the ruling as politically motivated and aimed at stifling critical voices.

Tunisian media reported that Abdelli had been charged with insulting state officials and offending public morals.

STOCKHOLM, April 17 (Reuters) - Leaders of Finland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark on Friday welcomed Iran's announcement on opening the Strait of Hormuz, and said they supported diplomatic efforts to find lasting solutions to the conflict.

Iran said earlier on Friday the strait was open following a ceasefire accord agreed in Lebanon.

Statements by Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson were made following a meeting led by Britain and France.

WASHINGTON, April 17 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that the United States has banned Israel from further bombing in Lebanon, using an atypically harsher tone than usual with the longtime U.S. ally Israel.

"Israel will not be bombing Lebanon any longer. They are PROHIBITED from doing so by the U.S.A. Enough is enough!!!" Trump said in a social media post.

Trump also said any deal the United States reaches with Iran "is in no way subject to Lebanon" but the U.S. will "deal with" the militant Hezbollah situation in an appropriate manner.

PARIS, April 17 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Friday that more than a dozen countries were ready to contribute assets to a defensive mission aimed at restoring the freedom of navigation of the Strait of Hormuz.

France and Britain chaired a meeting in Paris of 49 countries to discuss preparations for a possible multinational defensive mission to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz once conditions allow.

In cars and on motorbikes, people trickled back into Beirut's southern suburbs Friday, passing bombed-out buildings to check on homes and loved ones after a ceasefire began between Israel and Hezbollah.

"We'd been on the street going from place to place because there was no space in the shelters," said Insaf Ezzedine, 42, who had fled the area's Hay al-Sellom neighbourhood.

The latest developments in the Middle East war:

- Iran threatens to close Hormuz again -

Iran will close the strategic Strait of Hormuz again if the United States continues its blockade of Iranian ports, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Saturday.

"With the continuation of the blockade, the Strait of Hormuz will not remain open," Ghalibaf wrote on X, adding that passage through the waterway would depend on authorisation from Iran.

- Trump says US will bring uranium back from Iran -