ROME, March 5 (Reuters) - The U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran which sparked the latest Middle East crisis were clearly in breach of international law, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said on Thursday.

It was the strongest criticism to date from Italy's right-wing administration, which has sought to establish close ties with U.S. President Donald Trump since he took office last year.

The decision to launch the strikes last weekend "of course fell outside, needless to say, the rules of international law", Crosetto told the lower house of parliament.

By Andrew MacAskill, Kate Holton and Alistair Smout

LONDON, March 4 (Reuters) - Britain's cautious response to the escalating conflict in the Middle East and its hesitancy in defending its allies from attack have renewed doubts among partners about its military effectiveness when the U.S. is demanding widespread rearmament.

Trump lashed out at Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday, suggesting he had helped to "ruin" the countries' historically close relationship after London blocked the U.S.'s use of British bases to launch pre-emptive strikes on Iran.

Wary of getting directly involved in the US-Israeli war with Iran, European countries are nevertheless being drawn into the conflict following attacks on Cyprus and Western allies in the Gulf.

While underlining their "defensive" aims, several European countries have now pledged military assistance to EU member Cyprus as the Middle East conflict intensifies and widens.

Some are also allowing the US military to use their bases under certain conditions, such as not using them to launch bombing raids.

US military support jets have been allowed to use a French air base, the French military said Thursday, adding it had "full guarantees" they were not involved in Iran strikes.

The announcement came after President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said that US-Israel military operations in Iran were conducted "outside international law".

"US aircraft providing operational support (not combat aircraft) have been accepted at the Istres air base in France," the general staff said.

By Sarah Young and Marissa Davison

LONDON, March 5 (Reuters) - In an area of London known as Little Tehran, the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei prompted spontaneous street parties, dancing and fireworks. Shoppers still smile as some stores hand out sweet pastries, traditional in Persian culture when there's cause for celebration.

But as the bombardment of their homeland enters its sixth day, the joy is beginning to fade.

By Saurabh Sharma

NEW DELHI, March 5 (Reuters) - The U.S. attack on an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean this week was the first time since World War Two that the United States has sunk an enemy vessel with a torpedo.

The following details are based on accounts from Sri Lankan, U.S. and Iranian officials of the March 4 incident, part of U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran and its military assets.

CURRENT STATUS OF RELIEF AND RESCUE

BRUSSELS, March 5 (Reuters) - NATO allies will keep supporting Ukraine despite the situation in Iran, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told Reuters on Thursday.

"Many leaders in Europe and the United States, Canada say it has to be 'and, and': make sure that as allies we enable what the Americans are doing in the Middle East ... and at the same time make sure that Ukraine has what it needs to stay strong in the fight", he said.

(Reporting by Andrew Gray and Inti Landauro, Editing by Charlotte Van Campenhout, Bart Meijers)

By Andrew Gray

BRUSSELS, March 5 (Reuters) - The shooting down of a ballistic missile headed for Turkey by NATO air defences does not provide immediate reason to trigger the alliance's Article 5 mutual defence clause, its Secretary General Mark Rutte told Reuters on Thursday.

"Nobody's talking about Article 5," Rutte said. "The most important thing is that our adversaries have seen yesterday that NATO is so strong and so vigilant, and even more vigilant, if possible, since Saturday."

By Sarah El Safty and Maha El Dahan

DUBAI, March 5 (Reuters) - Wealthy Gulf states are facing their biggest food security challenge since the 2008 global food crisis, as the Iran conflict threatens ports and disrupts shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

The war is testing strategies adopted after 2008, when soaring food prices prompted Gulf nations to shift toward import-dependent policies reliant on pouring cash into agricultural investments abroad.

BRUSSELS, March 5 (Reuters) - Countries in the Middle East have told European officials they are concerned about the risk of civil war in Iran as a result of the conflict between Tehran and the United States and Israel, EU foreign chief Kaja Kallas said on Thursday.