Top Chinese and EU commerce officials reached an "understanding" on the trade of hybrid vehicles following closely watched talks on Friday, Beijing's commerce ministry said, citing a joint statement.

"After intensive consultations, the two sides reached an understanding on trade in hybrid vehicles in a manner consistent with World Trade Organization rules," the statement said, noting both parties would "continue with the relevant procedures concerning company price undertakings".

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Friday at a regional summit in Turkmenistan that peace negotiations will only succeed without "pressure and threats", with the months-long Middle East war locked in a stalemate.

"Dialogue holds meaning and a chance of success only when based on mutual respect and mutual commitments, and when devoid of pressure and threat," he said during his speech at the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) summit.

Saudi Arabia will not agree to a truce or a ceasefire with the Houthis until the Yemeni government that it backs regains all the territory it has lost in recent weeks, a regional source told AFP on Friday.

Saudi Arabia will also not bow to the Houthis' "military blackmail", the source added, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

The Israeli army said Thursday that one soldier was killed and three others were slightly wounded when their vehicle overturned in south Lebanon, where the military has occupied a band of territory since invading in March in response to Hezbollah attacks.

"Captain Eliav Haim Tzapalamus, aged 21, from Haifa, a combat officer in the 603rd Battalion, 7th Brigade, fell in combat in southern Lebanon," the army said.

The European Union is capable of meeting demand for gas this winter but its reserves are at "historically low" levels and will need to be monitored, the ENTSOG operators' association said Thursday.

"Europe is entering the winter with historically low storage levels while observing higher and more volatile global gas prices" as the Middle East war disrupts supplies, but the bloc's "gas infrastructure remains sufficiently flexible to meet demand", the association said.

Yemen's Houthis on Thursday called on staff at oil facilities in Saudi Arabia to leave to avoid being targeted as hostilities escalate with Riyadh, which backs Yemen's internationally recognized government fighting the Iran-backed group.

"Employees at all oil facilities must leave areas that are targets for our forces, so as not to endanger their lives," Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree wrote on X, while also issuing a warning "to airlines, airports, travelers and their staff".

Nine Syrian sailors are missing following a drone strike that sank a commercial ship off the coast of Bulgaria, a Syrian official told AFP on Thursday, after rescuers called off search operations.

Bulgarian authorities said no survivors had been found from the ship, after drones hit two commercial vessels early Tuesday in the Black Sea, the latest fallout from the Ukraine-Russia war in recent months.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Thursday that the bloc is preparing a "support mission" to train and advise Lebanon’s army and security forces, though that won't replace U.N. peacekeepers in southern Lebanon whose mandate expires at the end of the year.

Kallas said during a visit to Beirut that Lebanese authorities formally asked the EU for this. She added that she expects the mission to be set up by EU foreign ministers on Monday.

Turkey's foreign minister on Thursday ruled out sending troops to confront Yemen's Houthi forces, despite a defense pact with Saudi Arabia.

"This is a defense agreement," said Hakan Fidan. "This is not an offensive agreement. That is, Turkey will not send its troops to another country's territory to launch an attack."

High school students across France launched a fresh day of protests on Thursday, despite government attempts to ease the crisis.

Amid a growing outcry, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced Wednesday that the model of stun grenade suspected of mutilating a teenager in Lens will no longer be used against high schoolers, in light, he said, of a "strong possibility" that such a weapon was involved in ripping off the pupil's hand.