TEL AVIV, April 30 (Reuters) - A vessel carrying grain that Ukraine says was stolen from areas occupied by Russia will not unload in Israel, Ukraine said on Thursday, after Kyiv requested Israel to seize the cargo.

Ukraine's prosecutor general, Ruslan Kravchenko, said on the Telegram app that the vessel, Panormitis, left Israel's territorial waters and departed into neutral waters following "a range of procedural measures taken by Ukraine".

April 30 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump criticized German Chancellor ​Friedrich Merz on Thursday, saying he should focus on trying to end the Russia-Ukraine war and spend "less time on interfering" with the effort to tackle "the Iran nuclear threat".

Trump has been ​sparring with Merz over the war in Iran in recent days. On Tuesday, ​he said Merz didn't know what he was talking about after the German leader said the Iranians were humiliating the U.S. in talks to end the two-month-old war.

Trump made his comments in a Truth Social post.

MUNSTER, Germany, April 30 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized on Thursday the importance of the transatlantic partnership with the U.S., just hours after President Donald Trump said his administration was looking at reducing the number of U.S. troops in Germany.

Speaking to reporters at a military base, Merz said Germany's compass remained focused on a strong NATO military alliance and reliable partnership.

"As you know, this transatlantic partnership is particularly close to our hearts - and to mine personally," he said.

By Marissa Davison and Ben Makori

LONDON, April 30 (Reuters) - Scared, angry at the government, and wondering whether they need to leave the country, British Jews in the north London suburb of Golders Green were reeling a day after an attacker stabbed two men in the street.

Members of the Jewish community said they were looking for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to show he can address the root causes of increasingly frequent antisemitic attacks and keep them safe.

By Parisa Hafezi and Angus McDowall

DUBAI, April 30 - Weeks of conflict have aggravated Iran's dire economic problems, risking calamity after the war, but the Islamic Republic looks able to survive a standoff in the Gulf for now, despite a U.S. blockade that has cut off energy exports.

With major fighting paused by an April 8 truce, Iran is locked in a stalemate with the U.S. and Israel, with talks for a lasting ceasefire stalled while Tehran keeps the Strait of Hormuz shut and Washington blockades Iranian Gulf ports.

ROME, April 30 (Reuters) - Italy condemns Israel's seizure of aid ships bound for Gaza and demands the immediate release of all Italians who have been "unlawfully detained," Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office said on Thursday.

Israel intercepted the vessels in international waters near Greece late on Wednesday, a move the organizers -- Global Sumud Flotilla -- called an act of piracy against boats carrying humanitarian aid to the war-ravaged Palestinian enclave.

The latest developments in the Middle East war:

— Air defences activated in Iran: local media -

Air defences were heard in the Iranian capital Tehran on Thursday night after they were activated to counter small aircraft and drones, Iran's Tasnim and Fars news agencies reported.

Air defences were active for about 20 minutes and the city returned to a "normal situation", according to the news agencies.

- US urges meeting of Israel, Lebanon leaders -

TOKYO, April 30 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Thursday that she will continue all diplomatic efforts to ensure the passage of all vessels though the Strait of Hormuz.

Takaichi made the comment after phone talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Takaichi said that in the process of ensuring the safe passage of a Japanese-related vessel through the Strait of Hormuz, she personally appealed directly to the president and, together with the foreign minister and the embassy, carried out various diplomatic efforts.

April 30 (Reuters) - Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said in a published written message on Thursday that a new chapter for the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz has been taking shape since the Iran war with the United States and Israel broke out on February 28.

Iran's Supreme Leader said that Tehran would secure the Gulf region and eliminate what he described as "the enemy's abuses of the waterway."

The Supreme Leader added that new management of the Strait of Hormuz would bring calm, progress and economic benefits to all Gulf nations.

April 30 (Reuters) - Imprisoned Tunisian opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi has suffered a sharp deterioration in his health and has been urgently transferred from prison to hospital, his Ennahda party said on Thursday.

Ghannouchi, 84, a fierce critic of President Kais Saied and a dominant figure in Tunisian politics since the country's 2011 uprising, was arrested in 2023 as part of a broader crackdown on opposition figures.