Egypt's military has carried out dawn bombings of Islamic State targets in Libya, according to reports by state television.
Seven days of mourning were declared in Egypt after Islamic State militants released a video claiming to show the murder of 21 Egyptian Christians kidnapped in Libya.
The video has been condemned by governments around the world, while the Egyptian leadership vowed to respond to the "criminal killings".
Pope Francis has denounced the slaying of Egyptian Copts in Libya by Islamic State (IS), saying they were "assassinated just for being Christian".
Francis spoke off-the-cuff during an audience with a Scottish ecumenical delegation.
He said: "They only said 'Jesus help me ...' The blood of our Christian brothers is testimony that cries out. Be they Catholic, Orthodox, Copts, Lutherans, it doesn't matter. They're Christian."
The killings have raised anxieties in Italy, given Libya's proximity just across the Mediterranean Sea and because one of the militants in the video said the group plans to "conquer Rome," the seat of Catholicism.
The Democratic presidential candidate may also have shown his cards on his choice of running mate.
The US president also shared a post on Twitter accusing Dr Anthony Fauci of misleading the public over hydroxychloroquine.
Fears over an impending second wave of coronavirus dominates Wednesday’s front pages.