<span style="color: #222222;">A UN aid agency began delivering food to the homes of impoverished Palestinians yesterday instead of making them pick up such parcels at crowded distribution centers. The step was taken to prevent further spread of COVID-19.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">As the virus continued to spread across the Middle East, Iran, the hardest-hit country in the region, reported 141 new deaths, pushing the death toll closer to 3,000 people.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">In Israel, defense officials said they had converted a missile-production plant into an assembly line for much-needed breathing machines.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, said it would pay medical expenses for anyone infected with the virus.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">In Saudi Arabia, King Salman said the government will pay for the treatment of all Coronavirus patients, including visitors and foreign residents.</span><br />''  <br />