LONDON, May 6 (Reuters) - British police are setting up a new team of 100 officers including counter terrorism specialists to help protect Jewish communities across London after a series of antisemitic attacks including the stabbing of two men.

The plan announced on Wednesday for a dedicated protection team comes as officers announced more arrests for antisemitism, including detaining a 35-year old man on Saturday after rocks were thrown at an ambulance belonging to the Jewish community.

The United States is looking for "concrete actions" by Iraq's next prime minister to distance the state from pro-Iran armed groups before resuming financial shipments and security aid, a senior official said Tuesday.

Iraq's ruling coalition has put forward Ali al-Zaidi as the next leader and he quickly received a congratulatory call from President Donald Trump, who had threatened to end all US support if former frontrunner Nouri al-Maliki took office.

A group of 13 Australians related to alleged Islamic State jihadists is returning home from Syria, Australian authorities said Wednesday, warning some will face arrest.

The four women and nine children, who had been living in Roj camp in Syria, are expected to land in Sydney and Melbourne airports on Thursday, according to local media.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said he received an alert Wednesday morning when the group's travel booking was made.

"The government is not assisting and will not assist these individuals," he told a news conference.

By Renju Jose

SYDNEY, May 6 (Reuters) - Australia said on Wednesday that 13 members of Australian families in Syria linked to the extremist group Islamic State plan to travel home, but will receive no government assistance.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said there were "very serious limits" on what authorities could do to prevent Australian citizens re-entering the country.

President Donald Trump said Tuesday he was halting the US military operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz after just one day, in a bid to reach a deal with Iran to end the Middle East war.

Trump's so-called "Project Freedom" to help vessels leave the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow chokepoint to the Gulf where Iran has seized control in response to being attacked, began on Monday.

By Timothy Gardner and Jonathan Saul

BOSTON, May 5 (Reuters) - The CS Anthem chemical tanker exited the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, its operator said on Tuesday, becoming the second commercial U.S.-flagged vessel known to do so while accompanied by U.S. military assets.

Maersk said on Monday that the Alliance Fairfax, a U.S.-flagged vehicle carrier operated by its Farrell Lines subsidiary, had exited the Gulf via the Strait.

CAIRO, May 5 (Reuters) - A cargo vessel has been struck by an unknown projectile within the Strait of Hormuz, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said on Tuesday, adding that the environmental impact from the incident was unknown.

(Reporting by Menna Alaa El-Din and Yomna Ehab)

WASHINGTON, May 5 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that peace between Israel and Lebanon was achievable but that Lebanese militant group Hezbollah was a problem.

"By and large, I think a peace deal between Lebanon and Israel is imminently achievable, and should be," Rubio told reporters in a White House press briefing.

"The problem with Israel and Lebanon is not Israel or Lebanon, it's Hezbollah."

(Reporting by Steve Holland and Kanishka Singh in Washington; editing by Michelle Nichols)

WASHINGTON, May 5 (Reuters) - Ten civilian sailors have died due to the ongoing conflict in the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Tuesday.

Speaking at the White House, Rubio said the U.S. would continue to deploy its assets to defend freedom of navigation in the key thoroughfare.

"They're isolated, they're starving, they're vulnerable and at least 10 sailors have died as a result, civilian sailors," Rubio said, without providing additional details.

(Reporting by Steve Holland and Gram Slattery; editing by Michelle Nichols)

May 5 (Reuters) - Iran has set up a new mechanism to manage the transit of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's Press TV reported on Tuesday.

Iran has warned the U.S. Navy to stay out of the Strait of Hormuz and that ​commercial vessels will need to coordinate any passage with its military. It ​also issued a new ⁠map of the strait with an expanded Iranian area of control.

(Reporting by Menna Alaa El-Din and Yomna EhabEditing by Gareth Jones)