U.S. President Donald Trump said he was calling off strikes on Iran that he had planned for Thursday, and flagged the signing of a possible deal with Tehran after top-level talks.

Trump's latest sudden reversal on the war came after what he said were the agreements of "final points" by numerous countries -- except Iran.

U.S. forces struck and disabled a third commercial oil tanker attempting to bypass their blockade of Iranian ports this week, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Thursday, adding that it was the ninth such attack since the blockade began.

American forces "acted against Guinea-Bissau flagged M/T Jalveer as it attempted to transport oil from Iran through the Gulf of Oman," CENTCOM said. "A U.S. aircraft fired two Hellfire missiles into the ship's engine room after the crew repeatedly failed to comply with directions from US forces."

Radio France Internationale (RFI) condemned Thursday Israel's entry ban on French reporter Alice Froussard, who freelances for the station and other outlets, as "an obstacle to press freedom".

"Israeli authorities have not provided any justification to RFI for this decision," the broadcaster said in a statement.

Saudi Arabia condemned on Thursday overnight Iranian attacks on Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait, and called for renewed negotiations under Pakistani and Qatari mediation to end the Middle East war.

In a statement, the Saudi foreign ministry called for "de-escalation and restraint, urging all parties to priorities wisdom by returning to diplomatic efforts and resuming the constructive negotiations sponsored by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, along with the efforts of the State of Qatar".

Qatari negotiators have departed Tehran following discussions on the Middle East war, a diplomat told AFP on Thursday, as the US and Iran traded strikes once more.

"The Qatari delegation departed from Tehran this morning following talks with Iranian officials... that lasted into the early hours of this morning," the diplomat said on condition of anonymity, adding the discussions were "conducted in coordination with the United States".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday called on the Lebanese people to join Israel's fight against Hezbollah, saying their country had been taken "hostage" by the militant group.

"Israel is not at war with you. We are at war with Hezbollah, that has taken your country hostage... We yearn for peace with you, with Lebanon," Netanyahu said in a video statement directed at the Lebanese people.

Hundreds of people rallied on Wednesday evening in Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, in support of Iran and its allies in the Middle East war, AFP correspondents said.

The rally came despite the ongoing war between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah, with Israel pounding south and east Lebanon daily and still occasionally striking Beirut's southern suburbs, known locally as Dahieh, most recently on Sunday.

the Israeli army abducted Wednesday a municipal council member and a local worker in the southern border village of Kfarshouba, as they were pumping water to the village, the National News Agency said.

The Israeli military later said the two men had approached troops in southern Lebanon and that they were taken to Israel for questioning.

The U.N. rights chief said Wednesday he would send a mission to Lebanon to collect evidence on alleged rights abuses since the war began between Hezbollah and Israel.

"I have agreed with the government of Lebanon to conduct an impartial and independent assessment mission in the country," Volker Turk told journalists, adding: "I will soon be deploying a team to collect information and evidence on alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law, and violations of international humanitarian law and related law committed by the parties to the armed conflict in the country since March 2."

A strike hit a vehicle in the center of the southern coastal city of Sidon on Wednesday, killing two people, as Israeli attacks continue across the country's south.

Other strikes targeted Majdalzoun, Kfar Rumman, Dweir and other towns and villages in south Lebanon, while Hezbollah targeted Israeli troops and equipment in Yohmor-Shqif.