As he wages war on Iran, President Donald Trump was joined in the Oval Office by Christian pastors. Solemnly, some placed their hands on his shoulder or forearm. They offered their blessings.

In a war against a country led by Shia Muslim clerics, the United States -- which has a constitutional separation between church and state -- is also invoking religion, with some Trump officials casting it as almost a divine mission.

Here are the latest developments in the Middle East war:

- Israel strikes Beirut -

The Israeli military said Saturday it had begun striking "Hezbollah infrastructure sites" in Lebanon's capital Beirut.

An AFP journalist heard two loud explosions in the capital within a half-hour period early Saturday and saw smoke billowing from one of them.

Local media reported two airstrikes on the southern suburbs.

- Missiles fired toward Israel -

The Israeli army said its air defences responded to missiles fired from Iran, which medics reported wounded one person.

By Phil Stewart

WASHINGTON, April 3 (Reuters) - A U.S. fighter jet has been shot down over Iran and a search-and-rescue operation is underway for any survivors, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Friday, in the first such known incident since the war began nearly five weeks ago.

The Pentagon and U.S. Central Command did not respond to requests for comment.

The prospect of U.S. pilots being alive and on the run inside Iran raises the stakes for the United States in a conflict that has struggled to win popular support among Americans, according to opinion polls.

MOSCOW, April 3 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has held a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, the Kremlin said on Friday.

Putin and Erdogan discussed the situation in the Middle East, the Kremlin added.

(Reporting by Ksenia Orlova; Writing by Anna Peverieri; Editing by Kevin Liffey)

ROME, April 3 (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni flew to Saudi Arabia on Friday for a previously unannounced trip that will also include meetings in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, government sources said.

The sources said the visit would reaffirm Italy's support for the three nations in the face of Iranian attacks on their territories, and was also aimed at bolstering Italy's national energy security through closer engagement with Gulf producers.

ALTYN-EMEL NATIONAL PARK, Kazakhstan, April 3 (Reuters) - With a loud thwack of their wings, the falcons took flight, quickly soaring high above the rocky desert landscape of Altyn-Emel National Park in southeastern Kazakhstan.

The 34 birds were on an important mission: to help restore Kazakhstan's population of saker falcons, which for centuries have symbolised nobility and freedom for the nomadic peoples of the Kazakh steppe, as well as serving as faithful hunting companions.

By Parisa Hafezi

DUBAI, April 3 (Reuters) - After more than a month of being stalked by targeted assassinations, Iran's leadership has adopted a new tactic to show it is still in control - with senior officials walking openly in the streets among small crowds who have gathered in support of the Islamic Republic.

By Nerijus Adomaitis and Dominique Vidalon

PARIS, April 3 (Reuters) - A container ship belonging to French shipping group CMA CGM has passed through the Strait of Hormuz, MarineTraffic vessel tracking data shows, in a sign that Iran may not consider France a hostile nation.

The Malta-flagged Kribi, owned by CMA CGM, crossed the Strait on April 2. It is the first French-owned vessel to make it through the channel since U.S.-Israeli attacks began on Iran at the end of February.

During the war in the Gaza Strip and two wars with Iran in the space of a year, Israel has used artificial intelligence to fine-tune its missile early warning system.

In last year's 12-day conflict with Iran, incoming missiles would spark city-wide air raid alerts, and Israelis would have to rush for cover, often several times a day.

But now the systems that warn of an impending attack have become increasingly more sophisticated and localised.

VATICAN CITY, April 3 (Reuters) - Pope Leo spoke on the phone with Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Friday and urged him to "reopen all paths of dialogue" to end the Iran war, the Vatican said.

The pope, who has emerged as a sharp critic of the regional conflict, also urged Herzog to protect civilians and promote respect for international and humanitarian law, the Vatican added.

(Reporting by Joshua McElwee; Editing by Crispian Balmer)