Israel's former armed forces chief Benny Gantz on Monday took a fresh shot at unseating veteran Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after two previous electoral showdowns ended in deadlock. 

Protest-torn Iraq on Monday faced more political gridlock after prime minister-designate Mohammed Allawi withdrew overnight, accusing lawmakers of obstructing his attempt to form a government.

An Egyptian court Monday sentenced to death an ex-special forces officer turned Islamist militant and 36 other jihadists over several terror attacks, including an assassination bid on a former interior minister.

UN investigators warned Monday that Ankara might bear "criminal responsibility" for war crimes perpetrated against Kurds in northern Syria late last year, including the execution of a popular female politician.

The report comes as tensions soar between Turkey and Russian-backed Syrian forces following escalating clashes in the last rebel stronghold of Idlib, but is not directly linked to the latest unrest.  

Regime forces re-entered the northwestern Syrian town of Saraqeb on Monday after losing it days earlier to rebels, a monitor and state media said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Russia on Thursday for a summit with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to discuss the mounting tensions in Syria, his office said Monday. 

Israelis were voting for a third time in 12 months on Monday, with embattled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeking to end the country's political crisis and save his career.

Turkey on Sunday announced the launch of an offensive against the Moscow-backed Syrian regime, as Ankara put pressure on Europe by opening its border for migrants to seek passage to the continent via Greece.

Tensions have soared between Russia and Turkey -- who back opposing forces in the Syria's civil war -- after an airstrike blamed on Damascus killed dozens of Turkish soldiers in Idlib last week.

The Syrian military Sunday threatened to down any aircraft over northwest Syria after Turkish drone strikes killed dozens of pro-regime forces in the embattled region.

Turkey said Sunday it is "successfully" continuing its military operation against the Russian-backed Syrian regime in Syria's northwestern Idlib region but insisted it did not wish to clash with Moscow.

"Following the heinous attack on February 27 in Idlib, operation 'Spring Shield' successfully continues," Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar was quoted as saying by state news agency Anadolu.