The war in the Middle East has exposed Europe's reliance on Gulf companies for flights to Asia, Europe's airlines said on Thursday.

Since breaking out on February 28, the US-Israeli war on Iran has severely disrupted air traffic above the Gulf countries, which have carved out a niche as a stopover for long-haul flights between the United States, Europe, Asia and Oceania.

In the wake of Tehran's retaliatory strikes across the region, tens of thousands of flights have been cancelled, affecting millions of passengers.

US President Donald Trump said Thursday he had told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to strike any more Iranian gas fields, seeking to distance himself from an attack by a key ally that has shaken world energy markets.

Trump insisted on social media overnight that he "knew nothing" about Wednesday's strike by Israel on the South Pars gas field in Iran, which retaliated to the attack by hitting Qatari energy sites.

WASHINGTON, March 19 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday said "I'm not putting troops anywhere" when asked whether he was planning to send soldiers to the Middle East region amid the Iran war.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt, writing by Bhargav Acharya;Editing by David Ljunggren)

WASHINGTON, March 19 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday the U.S. needed more funding for a "lot of reasons" amid the Iran war when asked about a media report that Pentagon was seeking $200 billion for the conflict.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt, writing by Bhargav Acharya;Editing by David Ljunggren)

JERUSALEM, March 19 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will hold a press conference with the international media at 8:30 p.m. (1830 GMT), his office said in a statement.

It is Netanyahu's second press conference since the start of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran on February 28.

(Reporting by Rami Ayyub)

The International Monetary Fund said on Thursday it was monitoring the impacts of the war in Iran on global inflation and output, but that no countries had so far approached it for emergency assistance related to the conflict.

"If prolonged, higher energy prices will lead to higher headline inflation," said IMF chief spokesperson Julie Kozack at a press briefing.

By Parisa Hafezi

DUBAI, March 19 (Reuters) - Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, is taking a more central role as Israeli and U.S. strikes pick off the Islamic Republic's political leadership, making him a critical figure at a decisive moment.

With fewer of Iran's most prominent figures remaining, the former Revolutionary Guards commander, Tehran mayor, national police chief and presidential candidate is now a key node between the political, security and clerical elites.

March 19 (Reuters) - The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and Tehran's attacks on Gulf neighbours have damaged major energy facilities and brought shipping through the Strait of Hormuz - which handles about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows - close to a halt.

With daily oil exports from the region down at least 60% from pre-war levels, tensions escalated on Wednesday when Israel struck Iran's South Pars gas field and Tehran retaliated with attacks on regional energy infrastructure.

Here are key energy disruptions so far:

IRAN

By Samia Nakhoul and Rami Ayyub

DUBAI, March 19 (Reuters) - If the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran ended tomorrow, one verdict is already clear: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would walk away stronger, while President Donald Trump would be left to manage the shock to global markets and to Gulf allies who have borne the heaviest costs.

For Netanyahu, analysts say, the war has redrawn Israel's political map on his terms, pivoting attention away from Gaza and toward Iran, where national consensus is strongest and his security and economic credentials resonate most.

By Erin Banco

March 19 (Reuters) - Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said Thursday during a hearing in front of the House intelligence committee that the American and Israeli objectives during the military campaign in Iran are not the same.

"The objectives that have been laid out by the president are different from the objectives that have been laid out by the Israeli government," Gabbard said.