Regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia hosts Islamic, Arab and Gulf summits this week as tensions between Iran and the US raise fears of military escalation.

An Israeli missile struck the Syrian province of Quneitra on Monday, causing casualties, the official SANA news agency reported.

At least 17 civilians were killed on Monday as Syria's regime intensified its bombardment of Idlib province, the last jihadist stronghold in the country's northwest, a monitor said.

Algerian media said Monday there was very little chance a presidential election will be held as planned on July 4, after only two candidates -- both little known -- submitted their candidacies.

Israelis faced the growing possibility Monday of a new national poll despite a general election last month, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition talks remain deadlocked ahead of a looming deadline.

Outside her makeshift tent, Syrian mother Mona Mutayr lays out a frugal meal of potatoes and cucumber as her family marks their first Ramadan since being displaced by war.

Seven children were killed in an attack on the city of Taez last week, the United Nations' agency for children said in a statement.

An Iraqi court on Monday condemned a fourth French citizen to death for joining the Islamic State group, despite France reiterating its opposition to capital punishment.

Qatar said on Sunday that it had received an invitation from Saudi Arabia to attend emergency regional talks to discuss mounting tensions between Iran and the United States.

Egypt has unfrozen the assets of its Mubarak-era interior minister, who was acquitted on all corruption-related charges earlier this month, a judicial source confirmed Sunday.