The World in Brief from The Economist

America’s war secretary implored Iran’s leaders to make a deal with Donald Trump, saying the country faced a “new regime"; The S&P 500 and NASDAQ indices posted their biggest gains in months and oil prices fell.

An Iranian drone struck a giant Kuwaiti oil tanker off Dubai, briefly pushing up the price of Brent crude. Also, rising energy costs pushed the euro zone’s annual inflation rate to 2.5% in March, up from 1.9% in February and well above the European Central Bank’s target of 2%.

Donald Trump threatened to “completely obliterate” Kharg Island, the site of Iran’s main oil-export terminal, as well as the country’s energy plants and oil wells.

Donald Trump threatened to “completely obliterate” Kharg Island, the site of Iran’s main oil-export terminal, as well as the country’s energy plants and oil wells; The UN said two of its peacekeepers were killed and two others wounded when an explosion destroyed their vehicle in southern Lebanon.

Donald Trump said America and Iran had talked “directly and indirectly” and that Iran’s new leaders were “very reasonable.” Also, earlier Iran accused America of “secretly planning a ground invasion” after more American troops were deployed to the Middle East.

Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, ordered the Israel Defence Forces to expand its “existing security zone” in southern Lebanon.

Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, ordered the Israel Defence Forces to expand its “existing security zone” in southern Lebanon; The speaker of Iran’s parliament said that America is “secretly planning a ground invasion” and that Iran is “waiting”.

The Houthis, Yemeni rebels backed by Iran, said they fired a second salvo of missiles at Israel, hours after launching their first such attack since the war began; About 3,500 American Marines and sailors arrived in the Middle East on board the USS Tripoli, an amphibious warship.