(Corrects paragraph 4 to show the Israeli settler appeared to be holding a code book of Jewish law, not a Torah)

By Pesha Magid, Ammar Awad and Sinan Abu Mayzer

QUSRA, West Bank, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Palestinian American Loui Ridi raised a giant American flag over his West Bank home, hoping it might deter militant settlers besieging the property. But it wasn't enough to stop one of them from walking onto Ridi's landon Tuesday, during a tense face-off.

By Alexander Cornwell

JERUSALEM, Aug 20 (Reuters) - U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has warned militant Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank not to steal property owned by Palestinian Americans, describing such behavior as "a violation of God's law".

Huckabee, a Baptist minister and longtime supporter of Israel's settlements, told Reuters in an interview that settlers found to have taken part in a siege of homes in the West Bank village of Qusra, including one belonging to Palestinian American Loui Ridi, could be punished with U.S. sanctions.

DUBAI, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Iranian parliament speaker Mohammed Baqer Qalibaf said on Friday that Iran must plan to overcome "unjust sanctions", a day after U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced what he described as the toughest sanctions ever imposed on Iran.

Bessent said on Thursday the measures would be detailed on Monday, suggesting they could lessen the need for further major military operations.

By Kanishka Singh and Jana Choukeir

WASHINGTON/DUBAI, Aug 20 (Reuters) - The U.S. will impose "the toughest sanctions in history" on Iran,Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday, a focus on economic measures he suggested would lessen the need for new major military operations against Tehran.

His statement followed President Donald Trump's threat a day earlier of "Economic Warfare" and warning of economic consequences against any country that provided "any type of lifeline to Iran".

Britain, Canada, and Australia on Friday condemned as "shameful" Israel's decision to close an investigation into the death of seven aid workers killed in Gaza in 2024.

The World Central Kitchen employees -- three Britons, a dual US-Canadian national, a Pole, an Australian, and a Palestinian -- died in a drone strike on their vehicle convoy after overseeing the unloading of a food aid shipment.

Israel's military called the incident a "tragic mistake".

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Friday it was time to end the months-long Middle East war with the United States because Tehran appeared to be in a stronger position than Washington.

Talks between the longtime foes remain on hold, and the war started by the US and Israel in February has been locked in a stalemate.

Tehran is keeping the key Strait of Hormuz partially shut and Washington is persisting with a naval counter-blockade of Iran.

SINGAPORE, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Seven commodity ships sailed along the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, just half the previous day's tally, showed data from shiptracker Kpler, amid concern over risk to Middle East shipping as U.S.-Iran peace talks remain in limbo.

Of the total, four ships entered and three exited the waterway, which was used by nearly a fifth of global shipments of crude oil and liquefied natural gas before war began in February.

The seven did not include any very large crude carriers or liquefied natural gas tankers.

By Siyi Liu and Chen Aizhu

SINGAPORE, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Offers of Iranian crude to Chinese buyers have declined and prices have jumped this week as the U.S. blockade has cut Tehran's shipments, according to trade sources, with the threat of more sanctions from Washington looming.

The U.S. re-imposed its blockade of Iran's shipping and ports on July 13 as a deal to halt the war between them broke down in an attempt to cut off oil sales — Tehran's primary source of hard currency — compounding earlier losses from wartime strikes on its energy infrastructure.

Aug 20 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday Washington will impose "the toughest sanctions in history" on Iran and urged Beijing to cooperate with the U.S., but China said sanctions will not help in resolving the issue.

Bessent said he would hold a press conference on Monday to discuss details.

"It is a one-two punch. We have the blockade (on Iran), and we are going to have the toughest sanctions in history," Bessent told CNBC. "It is going to work in Iran and we are going to collapse this regime."

TUNIS, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Activists and opponents of Tunisian President Kais Saied took to the streets of Tunis on Thursday, calling for his departure and the restoration of democracy in the latest protest against his governance amid growing political and economic discontent.

Hundreds of protesters said they reject "one-man rule" and "a slide towards dictatorship," and urged the release of jailed opposition figures, activists and journalists.