The US president earlier announced that the two countries national security teams would soon start working on resolving the disagreements between Washington and Ankara over the latter's decision to buy Russian S-400 air defence systems. The US claims these systems pose a threat to F-35 jets and lack interoperability with other NATO systems.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Seventeen people were injured as a result of two simultaneous explosions that occurred at an ammunition depot in Turkey's southeastern province of Sanliurfa on Thursday, Anadolu reported, citing the provincial governor.

Norway supports Palestinian education authorities with NOK 55 million ($6 million) annually and has plans to up its help by another NOK 220 million ($24 million) over the next few years.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and Palestinian militants clashed earlier in the week, with tensions escalating after the army eliminated commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Baha Abu al-Ata.

Tensions escalated in the Gaza Strip on 31 October, as IDF reported a rocket launched at its territory from across the border. Since then, the Israeli military has detected hundreds of rockets fired from the enclave.

The residents got different degrees of burns, with some of the locals saying they might be more casualties than reported by the state media.

The Israel Defense Forces reported a barrage of rockets was fired at cities located in both central and southern Israel late Wednesday evening.

Tensions in the Gaza Strip escalated on 31 October when a rocket was launched at Israeli territory from the enclave. Since then, airstrikes have been continuously exchanged between the Israeli defence forces and Islamic Jihad militants.

"Hundreds" of rockets were seen being fired from Gaza into southern Israel late Wednesday, just 30 minutes after air raid sirens were triggered by Israeli officials.

Amid a new spiral of tensions, Israeli airstrikes killed a top commander from the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip. A massive rocket attack against Israel followed, triggering a response from the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and a further escalation.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The United States intends to retain control over the oil fields in Syria’s northeast, despite scaling down its military presence in the area, US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday.

DAMASCUS (Sputnik) - A US military convoy consisting of 22 military vehicles and two trucks have crossed the Syrian-Iraqi border and positioned itself near several oil deposits in northeastern Syria, the Al-Ikhbariya broadcaster reported.

The two presidents' meeting comes as ties between the US and Turkey remain strained over the latter's acquisition of Russian S-400 air defence systems and offensive in Syria against America’s allies, the Kurds.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Turkish Defence Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Wednesday that a top Daesh militant had been captured during Ankara's operation in northern Syria.

Tensions between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group keep brewing as the escalation entered its second day. On Tuesday, the IDF killed the group’s senior commander in a targeted strike, prompting a barrage of rockets from Gaza at Israel. While many left their homes out of fear, others stayed – farmer Avichai Brodutch is one of them.

On 12 November, the Israel Defence Forces announced that Islamic Jihad commander Baha Abu al-Ata had been killed as a result of a targeted military strike on his home, which was followed by dozens of rockets from the Gaza Strip fired towards southern Israel, most of which were allegedly intercepted by the country’s anti-missile system.

The situation remains tense after about 50 rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel on Tuesday, while the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) carried out airstrikes, killing several militants.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh called on Israel to stop strikes at the Gaza Strip, appealing to the United Nations for help.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A protester was shot in the head in the city of Khalde, south of the Lebanese capital of Beirut, Al Arabiya broadcaster reported, citing local media and a security source.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States is engaged in talks with Russia on the issue of the return of Russian foreign fighters who are detained in Syria, a senior US State Department official told reporters on Tuesday.