Main Points
- The death toll in Iran since start of conflict has risen to 1,230
- US president Donald Trump has said he must “be involved in the appointment” of Iran’s next leader, as he was in Venezuela
- Air strikes hit Iran-Iraq border as US and Israel potentially prepare for new front
- Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee has highlighted how the attack by the United States and Israel on Iran has no United Nations mandate
Key Reads
- How to fly from Ireland to Australia, New Zealand or Asia during the Middle East conflict
- The five key things to watch about the economic impact of the Middle East conflict
We are going to wind down our live story now. Thanks for staying with us today. You can follow all the latest developments here.
Donald Trump is currently speaking at the White House, and has just thanked his “wonderful Israeli partners” who “continue to demolish the enemy totally ahead of schedule and at levels people have never seen before”.
“We’re destroying more of Iran’s missile and drone capability every single hour – knocking them out."
The US president claimed, without evidence: “So [Iran] have no air force, they have no air defence. All of their airplanes are gone, their communications are gone. Other than that, they’re doing quite well.
“Their navy is gone, [they lost] 24 ships in three days, that’s a lot of ships,” he said, along with 60 per cent of Iran’s missiles and 64 per cent of its missile launchers.
- The Guardian
US House of Representatives backs Trump in Iran
The US House of Representatives has rejected an effort to stop Donald Trump’s air war on Iran and require that any hostilities against Iran to be authorised by Congress, backing the president’s military campaign on the sixth day of the expanding conflict.
The vote was 219 to 212 in the Republican-controlled House.
- The Guardian
Unicef ‘deeply concerned’ by impact on children
Unicef has said it is “deeply concerned about the deadly impact the ongoing military escalation in Iran is having on children”.
Approximately 180 children have reportedly been killed to date and many more injured, the charity said.
“Among the casualties are 168 girls killed when a strike hit the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ elementary school in Minab, in southern Iran, [on Saturday], while classes were in session,” a statement noted.
“Reports indicate that the majority of those killed were schoolchildren aged between 7 and 12. In addition, 12 children were killed in other schools across five different locations in Iran.
“These child casualties are a stark reminder of the brutality of war and violence on children, which impacts families and communities for generations.”
Unicef has called on all parties to “uphold their obligations under international law, and to ensure the protection of civilians”.
“Under international humanitarian law, the lives and wellbeing of children must always be protected.”
The Israeli Defence Forces earlier issued forced evacuation orders for the whole population of Beirut’s southern suburbs - home to some 500,000 people - sparking widespread panic and leading to huge queues of traffic as people tried to flee.
Traffic was at a standstill in the Lebanese capital on Thursday as people tried to flee.
Residents are also still scouring through the wreckage of residential buildings damaged by previous Israeli strikes.
Israel has been striking parts of Dahiya, a densely populated commercial and residential area in the southern suburbs of Beirut, since Monday.
Israel’s far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, threatened widespread destruction in a video released on Thursday on social media.
Referring to a city in southern Gaza that Israel has almost entirely destroyed in the Palestinian territory, Smotrich said: “The Dahiya will look like Khan Younis. You wanted to give us hell, but you’ve brought hell upon yourself.”
- The Guardian
The US House of Representatives is preparing to vote on a war powers resolution that would require Donald Trump to seek congressional permission before continuing the war with Iran.
It’s the second vote in as many days, after the Senate defeated a similar measure largely along party lines on Wednesday.
- The Guardian
‘So happy to be home’: Irish people return from Dubai
There were celebrations and relief for a second night in a row at Dublin Airport with the arrival of the first planes from Dubai since conflict broke out in the Middle East.
People who had been working in the United Arab Emirates for several years as well as some holidaymakers were among the hundreds who landed home on Thursday evening.
Dubai has been hit by missiles amid the conflict between Iran and the US and Israel, including explosions at the city’s airport and the Fairmont Hotel, and it has also been impacted by widespread air space closures in the Middle East.
There are an estimated 24,400 Irish citizens in the Gulf region.
There will be further direct flights from the Middle East landing in Dublin on Friday, including an Irish Government charter flight from Oman which is expected to transport around 280 passengers.
Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee expressed hope that hundreds, if not more than 1,000, will arrive in Dublin before the end of the week.
Dympna Mackin, from Mayobridge, Co Down, who had been in Dubai with her husband to celebrate her 40th birthday, walked through arrivals to hugs from family waiting to see her.
“Unbelievable. I’d missed the children so much. I’m shaking, it’s good to be home,” she said.
“We arrived in Dubai last Thursday, we were due home on Monday, this was the third flight that we’d tried to get home.
“We were in Dubai for my 40th birthday … I don’t want to get into it because it was traumatising.”
Colette Cummins, from Malahide in Dublin, who had been visiting family in Dubai, was hugged by work colleagues as she came through arrivals.
“I’m so happy to be home. We were supposed to come on Tuesday but the flight was cancelled,” she said.
“It’s great to be home, my sister is not so lucky, she is still there.
“Scary at the beginning. It had eased off but back again today because we got news on the flight of alerts that missiles were coming in again. The situation is escalating again.”
Megan O’Riordan, from Co Meath, who has worked in software sales in Dubai for three years, was greeted by her father Michael.
“Daily life is normal, everyone is still working, we’re just working remotely and school is happening at home. The only difference is the missiles and interceptions – when you see those it is a little bit scary,” she said.
“Other than that, nothing else has changed, life goes on as normal over there. The government have been really good, the embassy has been really good.”
Among those on the first flight from Dubai, which landed in Dublin late on Wednesday, was Anna Callaghan from Donegal.
“My mum’s come all the way from Donegal, that’s why I’m a little overwhelmed. I live in Dublin so I wasn’t expecting to see her,” she said, as the pair embraced again. Her mother Patricia responded: “I’m just glad she’s on the ground now.”
Callaghan described a stressful and scary situation.
“We were seeing and hearing bangs and explosions, last night in particular it was jet after jet after jet going overhead, and then we heard the US consulate was hit and that really scared everyone,” she said.
“This is my fourth flight that I rebooked and I didn’t think I was going to get out.”
- Press Association
Germany said on Thursday it had no plans to send additional military support to the Middle East, after European allies announced plans to move forces to the eastern Mediterranean following a drone strike at a British air base in Cyprus.
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto told parliament earlier today that Italy, Spain, France and the Netherlands would send naval assets to protect Cyprus in the coming days.
Britain is also deploying a destroyer and additional helicopters with anti-drone capabilities to the region and is joining France and Greece in boosting air defences in Cyprus.
Germany’s navy participates in the long-running United Nations UNIFIL monitoring mission in Lebanon, but the defence ministry said the military’s focus remained on Nato defence operations in eastern Europe.
“Germany is currently not planning any additional military capabilities beyond its existing contributions to international missions in the Middle East,” the ministry said in a statement.
The statement said the anti-aircraft frigate Sachsen was currently taking part in Nato’s Cold Response exercise in the Arctic.
The statement from the ministry reiterated comments from Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, who declared in parliament: “Germany is not a party in this war. The Bundeswehr is not taking part in this war.”
- Reuters
Israel took the decision to kill Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in November and was planning to carry out the operation around six months later, Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Thursday.
Khamenei was killed in the first hours of the US-Israeli air campaign that began on Saturday in the first assassination of a country’s top ruler by an airstrike.
“Already in November we were convened with the prime minister in a very tight forum and the prime minister (Benjamin Netanyahu) set the goal of eliminating Khamenei,” Katz told Israel’s N12 TV news. The timing was set for mid-2026, he said.
The plan was eventually shared with Washington and brought forward around January after protests broke out Iran, when Israel was concerned its pressured clerical rulers might launch an attack against Israel and US assets in the Middle East, Katz said.
Israel has said its aim is to eliminate the existential threat it sees in Iran’s nuclear programme and ballistic missile project, and to bring about regime change. Iran’s rulers have so far shown no sign of relinquishing power.
- Reuters
Trump must ‘be involved’ in choosing next leader of Iran
US President Donald Trump has said he must “be involved in the appointment” of Iran’s next leader, as he was in Venezuela.
He dismissed the idea of the assassinated ayatollah’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, succeeding his father as supreme leader as “unacceptable”.
“They are wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy [Rodriguez] in Venezuela,” Trump told Axios on Thursday.
Rodriguez took over after US forces captured president Nicolás Maduro in January.
Trump said he could not accept a new Iranian leader who would continue Khamenei’s policies.
“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran.”
Selecting a leader who followed the policies of the former supreme leader could force the US back to war “in five years”, he added.
It comes a day after Trump’s defence secretary Pete Hegseth insisted that regime change was not the primary goal of the US military operation in Iran.
No formal announcement has been made from Iran regarding the selection of a new leader, though Mojtaba Khamenei is considered the frontrunner.
- The Guardian
More than 80,000 people register as displaced in Lebanon
The Israeli military issued an evacuation order for all of Beirut’s southern suburbs – more than 500,000 people – before Israel launched airstrikes on what an IDF spokesperson described as Hezbollah targets.
Marianne Samaha, from the relief organisation Basmeh and Zeitooneh, said official figures show more than 80,000 people had registered as displaced in Lebanon as of Wednesday.
However, aid workers in the region believe the number is much higher because the official figure doesn’t take into account those who are not staying in collective shelters.
“We have been talking about a figure that’s more around 180,000 people,” Samaha said. Aid workers have witnessed entire families still stuck on the roads, searching for a place to take shelter, she said.
“Some of them have found temporary shelters in schools that have been opened by the government, some have found temporary shelters with extended family members or in informal settings, but many, many people remain to this day sleeping on the streets, or in their cars.”
Samaha added that even those who have found space for themselves and their families in the collective shelters are still lacking mattresses, mats, pillows and blankets.
- The Guardian
McEntee says US and Israel ‘don’t have UN mandate’
Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee has highlighted how the attack by the United States and Israel on Iran has no United Nations mandate.
However, she stopped short of explicitly saying this amounts to a breach of international law, Political Correspondent Cormac McQuinn reports.
In the Dáil on Wednesday, McEntee said “the current military operations by the United States and Israel have no mandate or authorisation from the United Nations nor has any attempt been made to seek such an authorisation” and “Ireland’s position on the use of force outside such a context is well-established and known”.
She also said “all states must abide by international law and the principles of the UN Charter”.
Opposition politicians are putting pressure on the Government to state that international law was breached by the US and Israel in their military action against Iran.
At a press conference in Dublin, McEntee was repeatedly quizzed on the issue by reporters.
She said it was clear that the US and Israel does not have a UN mandate and “for this type of action to take place, we believe that they should have that”.
Pressed on if this means the military action is outside international law she said: “What I’m saying is it doesn’t have a UN mandate.”
Asked why she was stopping short of explicitly saying the US and Israel had breached international law, she replied: “I think we can all see the extremely difficult situation in the Middle East, much of which has been caused by Iran.”
She said Iran has “subdued and massacred its own citizens” and “contributed to state-sponsored terrorism”.
McEntee continued: “We all want to see an improvement and a change, and we want the people of Iran to be able to essentially set out their own destiny. That has not been possible.”
She added: “At the same time, it is essential that if this type of conflict is to take place with that overall objective ... that it is done so in accordance with the UN.
“What I’m saying here today is we do not believe that there is UN mandate for this.”
Asked if she was reluctant to say the US had breached international law in advance of Taoiseach Micheál Martin’s St Patrick’s Day meeting with Donald Trump, she said: “Our visit to the White House has provided us with an opportunity over many years to raise the concerns.”
She said this opportunity has always been taken to “raise very complex and challenging issues, and I believe that this St Patrick’s Day visit will be no different”.
Ongoing conflict described as an ‘act of aggression’ and ‘an illegal act’ by Sinn Féin’s foreign affairs spokesman
Sinn Féin’s foreign affairs spokesman Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire said there is a clear understanding among the Irish public that this conflict “is particularly dangerous,” reports Political Correspondent Cormac McQuinn.
He said it is “without logic” and “without basis” and “it is particularly at risk of spilling into something much greater, much wider with long lasting ramifications for the region.”
Ó Laoghaire added: “I think it is important that we recognise that this was an act of aggression, that it was an illegal act and is against the UN Charter and most of all that it was profoundly dangerous.”
Iran using more drones than missiles in attacks
Iran is increasingly relying on drones rather than missiles to attack Gulf states as the war in the Middle East continues.
Figures from the defense ministries in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain show the vast majority of projectiles fired toward them in recent days have been drones, most commonly the Iranian-made Shahed variety. - Bloomberg.
Irish MEP calls on president and vice-president of European Commission to ‘speak out now’
MEP Barry Andrews shares a post on X of Israeli Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich declaring the southern suburbs of Beirut will be flattened just like Khan Younis.
Translated to English, he also said “Hizbullah made a mistake, and it will pay dearly for it.”
Andrews called on Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission and Kaja Kallas, vice-president of the European Commission to “speak out now, before yet another mass war crime unfolds.”
Responding to the effects of the Middle East crisis will remain ‘a priority’ for Irish government
Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee opened a Dáil session on the situation in the Middle East saying, “We are all deeply concerned by the outbreak of conflict since Saturday, at the scenes of death and destruction that we are witnessing,” reports Political Correspondent Cormac McQuinn.
She said there was also concern about the impact on Irish citizens across the Gulf; the consequences for some of our closest partners in the region and for the situation facing Irish peacekeepers serving with the UNIFIL mission in Lebanon.
McEntee also expressed concern at “the potential for this conflict to intensify and further threaten international peace and security.”
She said the Government position is “clear”.
McEntee told the Dáil that “the current military operations by the United States and Israel have no mandate or authorisation from the United Nations nor has any attempt been made to seek such an authorisation” and “Ireland’s position on the use of force outside such a context is well-established and known.”
She said “all states must abide by international law and the principles of the UN Charter.”
McEntee said that the UN system “however imperfect, is an essential security asset for small states including Ireland” and “If the UN fails, and if the Security Council is unable to act, it is because Member States do not empower it to do so.”
She also told the Dáil that the Government has “made crystal clear in our condemnation of the Iranian regime – its brutal repression of its citizens, its malign role in the region and its support for Russia’s war on Ukraine.” She also said “Iran cannot develop a nuclear weapon.”
McEntee concluded her speech saying: “This conflict has the potential to have lasting impacts across the Gulf and the wider Middle East. We call for a cessation of hostilities, for urgent steps to de-escalate and for restraint.”
She said: “We need to see a return to diplomacy, and for the UN to have a role” and “responding to the effects of this crisis will remain a priority for the Government.”
Search and rescue ongoing for sailors on torpedoed Iranian warship
The Indian navy have said they are coordinating with Sri Lanka as search and rescue efforts are ongoing after a US submarine sank an Iranian frigate yesterday, killing more than 80 people on board.
The Iranian warship was headed back home after taking part in a military training exercise in India.
A second Iranian ship was reported in waters close to Sri Lanka and has sought emergency permission to dock today.
Azerbaijan closes southern airspace region near Iran for a 12-hour period.
This follows one drone that fell on an airport in Nakhchivan, near the border with Iran, and another landed near a school, injuring four people.
Iran has denied involvement and blamed Israel.
Azadi stadium in Tehran damaged by strikes
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted a picture of the damage to the stadium on X and wrote that it was being used by “the oppressive forces” of the Iranian regime.
Some Irish fans may recall that this is where Ireland qualified for the 2002 World Cup.
Pope Leo prays God would help world leaders renounce war
“Lord, enlighten the leaders of the nations, so they may have the courage to abandon projects of death,” the pontiff said in the video message released on Thursday.
“Today we lift up our prayer for peace in the world, asking that nations renounce weapons and choose the path of dialogue and diplomacy,” he said.
Leo releases a video message each month to announce his prayer intentions for that month. The pope’s intention for March is “for disarmament and peace”. - Reuters
UK to send four additional typhoon jets to join operations in Qatar
Sir Keir Starmer said he was focused on “providing calm, level-headed leadership in the national interest” amid the war in the Middle East, at a press conference.
The prime minister said, “I can announce today that we’re sending four additional Typhoon jets to join our squadron in Qatar to strengthen our defensive operations in Qatar and across the region.
“Wildcat helicopters with anti-drone capabilities are arriving in Cyprus tomorrow,” he added.
Four health care workers killed and 25 injured in Middle East conflict
The World Health Organization (WHO) chief said on Thursday that it has verified 13 attacks on health infrastructure in Iran amid a US-Israeli campaign, killing four health care workers and injuring 25 others.
“WHO has verified 13 attacks on health care in Iran and one in Lebanon,” World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference, without attributing blame.
Dr. Hanan Balkhy added at the same briefing that four ambulances in Iran were also affected and that hospitals and other health sites suffered minor damage due to strikes nearby.
One of these hospitals in the capital Tehran was evacuated as a result, the UN health agency previously said. Iran’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva has alleged that 10 facilities have been hit by military strikes in a letter to Tedros earlier this week.
Balkhy says that the WHO logistics hub in Dubai which provides health supplies to dozens of countries is temporarily out of service because of transport restrictions in the region.
Review on ‘gouging’ described as ‘toothless’ by Social Democrats deputy leader
The Social Democrats renewed calls for the Government to introduce a targeted €400 energy credit, which would provide “some relief to people” facing surging fuel bills.
Deputy leader Cian O’Callaghan criticised Government Ministers for “accepting that gouging is going on but then in the next breath, saying they’re not going to take any meaningful action”.
Speaking in the Dáil he said a review by the “toothless” Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), “is not going to cut it, not when people have bills to pay”.
Families with young children already struggling to get by “are also feeling rising panic they don’t have a spare €500 sitting in their bank accounts to heat their homes”.
He said the Social Democrats have proposed a “fully costed, targeted €400 energy credit which would provide some relief to people”. He appealed to the Tánaiste to “change your position and introduce this measure”.
Simon Harris said it was unfair to call the CCPC “toothless”. Last year, it got six convictions, “the first criminal conviction ever”. The commission which has “significant powers” has opened an “urgent investigation” into allegations of price gouging on energy costs.
The Government is providing “targeted supports” through the fuel allowance for an additional 50,000 people. They were continuing to work on the issue “absolutely intensively”.
He said he will meet fellow European finance ministers on Monday. “We will analyse the impact in terms of energy affordability and supply” and the Taoiseach will attend a European Council meeting where this will be on the agenda as well.
“We keep this under review, and we don’t rule out actions that may be needed to assist people and may be needed to assist the economy,” but it depends on the “length” and “depth” of the conflict.
Qatar says it intercepted 13 Iranian missiles and four drones but one missile fell in territorial waters.
Hizbullah receives orders to block Israeli advances in Lebanon
Hizbullah has deployed elite fighters to confront Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, sending them back into the border region from which they withdrew after a war in 2024, three Lebanese sources familiar with the deployments said.
Members of Hizbullah’s Radwan force had received orders to join the battle and block advances by Israeli tanks, the sources said, citing the town of Khiyam - one of several areas where Israeli troops reportedly advanced on Wednesday - as an example. - Reuters
Irish government continuing to ‘monitor the situation’ in Middle East
Tánaiste Simon Harris insisted there could not be a kneejerk reaction to the five-day old Middle East conflict as he came under pressure to take “real action” on “price gouging” and provide supports as energy costs “skyrocketed,” reports Parliamentary Correspondent Marie O’Halloran.
Sinn Féin health spokesman David Cullinane said the price of heating oil “has effectively doubled”. This is “price gouging, companies exploiting a crisis to squeeze more profit out of households already under severe pressure”.
The Government is claiming it was “premature to talk about a cost of living crisis”, he said. “What planet are you guys on?”
People are in crisis now, he added. “People cannot wait. If your home is cold tonight, it means it needs to be heated tonight, not next week or next month or in six months.”
The Tánaiste told him “real action” is being taken with 50,000 more households next week qualifying for the fuel allowance “for the first time” and they would also receive a €380 lump sum.
“We continue to monitor the situation to keep everything actively under review”, but he said “we’re a couple of days into a conflict here”. What “might seem like the right idea today could indeed be the wrong recipe next week or the week after”.
Azerbaijan vows to respond after four injured by Iranian drones
Four people have now been injured by two Iranian drones.
Azerbaijan warned on Thursday that it was preparing unspecified response measures after two drones flew across its border and injured four people in the Nakhchivan exclave.
“These attacks will not remain unanswered,” the Azerbaijani defence ministry said in a statement.
One drone fell on an airport in Nakhchivan, near the border with Iran, and another landed near a school.
Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, said Azerbaijan’s armed forces “have been placed at the highest level of combat readiness and are prepared to carry out any required operations”.
“We will not tolerate this unprovoked act of terror and aggression against Azerbaijan,” he said.
Iran has denied involvement and blamed Israel.
Diplomats in Riyadh ordered to shelter in place due to potential threat, sources say.
Diplomats and staff at embassies in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter have been told to shelter in place due to a potential threat, three people with direct knowledge of the matter said. They did not have further details. - Reuters
Iran’s army targets headquarters of US forces in Iraqi city of Erbil with drones, says Iranian state TV.
The United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) defence ministry says it intercepted six ballistic missiles and 125 drones today.
However, it said that one missile and six drones fell inside the country.
US-Israeli attacks on Iran ‘breach of international law’, says Italian minister
The US-Israeli attacks on Iran that sparked the latest Middle East crisis were clearly in breach of international law, Italian defence minister Guido Crosetto said on Thursday.
The decision to launch the strikes last weekend “of course fell outside, needless to say, the rules of international law”, Crosetto told the lower house of parliament.
He said Italy was being forced to respond to a conflict that the United States and Israel had initiated without warning their allies and partners.
“It is a war that was started without anyone in the world knowing. One in which we, like the rest of the world, find ourselves having to manage [the consequences],” said Crosetto.
Italy has said it will send air defence aid to Gulf countries and naval assets to Cyprus to help them protect against Iranian strikes launched in response to the US-Israeli attacks. - Reuters
Israel issues evacuation orders to Lebanese neighbourhoods
The Israeli military has issued evacuation orders to entire neighbourhoods in Beirut’s southern suburb, instructing them to move north and east of the Lebanese capital.
“Save your lives, evacuate your homes immediately,” Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee wrote on X, posting a map highlighting four neighbourhoods of the southern suburbs - an area adjacent to Beirut airport. - Reuters
More than 20,000 Israelis have returned to Israel since the start of the US-Israeli and Iranian war.
A further 120,000 are still abroad and wish to return, according to the Israeli transportation ministry.
The operation to repatriate Israelis stranded abroad is expected to take seven to 10 days.
The ministry says it is working to expand alternatives for arriving and departing from Israel by air, land and sea crossings.
US House of Representatives to vote on war powers resolution
The US House of Representatives is preparing to vote on Thursday on a war powers resolution that would have required Donald Trump to seek congressional permission before continuing the war with Iran.
A similar measure was defeated in the Senate on Wednesday.
The tally in the House is expected to be tight, but the outcome will provide an early snapshot of the political support, or opposition, to the US-Israel military operation and the president’s rationale for bypassing Congress, which alone has the power to declare war. - Guardian
Over 4,000 people arrived in UK from five Middle Eastern countries
More than 4,000 people arrived in the UK from five different countries in the Middle East on Wednesday, the UK government said.
Foreign office minister Hamish Falconer said eight planes had arrived from the Gulf country, bringing over 2,000 people to the UK from the UAE and more were expected to land throughout Thursday.
Falconer told MPs, “that includes transit passengers and vulnerable people identified through our consular system. We are expecting a further 10 flights today.”
He said more than 140,000 British people had registered their presence in the Middle East with the foreign office.
Who is responsible for the air strike on a school in Iran?
Senior Trump administration officials have said they are still investigating whether it was a US air strike that hit a girls elementary school in Iran on the opening day of the war.
The strike was one of the deadliest attacks of the American-Israeli campaign against Iran so far, killing at least 175 people, most of whom were probably children, according to Iranian state media and health officials.
It is not clear why the school was hit, or which country’s forces fired at it.
For more, read Shawn McCreesh‘s article here.
‘We’re not getting any information,’ says Irish woman stranded in Dubai
Irish woman Megan Virgo has described the frustrations experienced while stranded in Dubai. The situation was “terrifying” hearing jets in the sky and explosions while she could not get through to any of the airline or consular numbers, reports Vivienne Clarke.
“We’re not getting any information,” she told RTÉ radio’s Today with David McCullagh show.
When asked about the €800 price of a chartered flight home, Virgo said she and her mother would be willing to pay anything to get home, but in the absence of any information she felt “we’re just going to have to look after ourselves”.
Virgo and her mother had been due to begin a cruise of the Gulf and had boarded the ship when the conflict started. They were fortunate to be able to stay on the ship, she said, but there had been “a lot of ups and downs with everything that has happened”.
“It’s been terrifying, there’s been times when we felt that things have settled a bit and then again you hear the jets in the sky, you hear the explosions and it’s just something that you think you’ll never go through.
”While some other passengers had left the ship to go into the city of Dubai, Virgo and her mother thought it was safer to stay on board until they had definite details of a flight home.
Their original flight home has been cancelled, but they have not received any details on when they will be rebooked.
“We don’t know whether we should just go to the airport because you’re hearing that actually people are getting on flights, we have not been able to get through to Emirates, so I keep calling but I’m on hold for too long to get through to anyone.
“I’ve tried the Dublin number, the Dubai number, which doesn’t go through. The embassy as well, we have had no communication from them. We’re not getting any information at all.”
She said she did not expect an individual email, but thought the embassy could send a general email to those who had registered to let them know of any update and offer some reassurance.
“I get that this is a crisis situation, I understand that, but to be honest, we feel really let down. I think somewhere in this crisis communication strategy that they have, they seem to have completely left the people over here out of the mix.”
The mother and daughter had considered taking a taxi to Oman for a repatriation flight, but they were getting mixed reports, with some advice saying to stay in place.
“On one side you have them saying stay in place, stay in shelter, but then actually you have to make your own way to the airport and there’s no clarity on how many people can go on, then there’s obviously a pecking order of, of course people who have been there that have illnesses, pregnant women, the elderly, they have to be prioritised.”
Bahamas-flagged crude oil tanker in Iraqi waters damaged in Iranian boat attack
An Iranian remote-controlled boat laden with explosives was used on Thursday to target and damage the Bahamas-flagged crude oil tanker, Sonangol Namibe, anchored in Iraqi waters, according to initial assessments from two Iraqi port security sources.
The small boat exploded after hitting the tanker and was the first recorded attack inside Iraq’s exclusive economic zone waters and an escalation of threats to commercial ships in the Gulf, the sources said.
Iranian death toll rises
The death toll in Iran from US-Israeli attacks rises to 1,230. – Reuters
Iran armed forces deny targeting Azerbaijan with drones which injured two people, according to state media.
Iran has denied involvement and blamed Israel.
Bahrain air defences have destroyed 75 missiles and 123 drones since the start of the conflict, the Bahrain Defence Force said on Thursday.
The general command urged residents to stay home and not go out unless absolutely necessary. - Guardian
‘We will not allow ourselves to be divided,’ says German foreign minister
Germany has offered its solidarity with Spain, after German chancellor Friedrich Merz’s previous refusal to defend the European partner in front of Donald Trump sparked some tensions between Madrid and Berlin.
German foreign minister Johann Wadephul said that Spain can rely on solidarity from the European Union, and from Germany, when it comes to the threat of new US trade barriers, Reuters reported.
“We will not allow ourselves to be divided; we stand firmly together,” he said at a press conference. - Guardian
‘Serious and absolutely condemnable’ incident, says Nato’s Rutte
Nato secretary general Mark Rutte told Reuters, the missile that was launched from Iran to Turkey and intercepted by Nato was a “serious and absolutely condemnable” incident, but declined to offer more details.
Speaking more broadly about Iran, Rutte said: “We know that Iran was close to getting his hands on a nuclear capability … which would be a threat not only to the Middle East, and of course, to Israel … but also a threat to Europe.”
He said the Iran war was still in “early stages”, and “it will be difficult to assess exactly how this will end in the coming weeks”, but he added, “there is widespread acknowledgment and agreement that at least we have to be sure that going forward, Iran is not [going to be] able again to pose death threat to its neighbours, to Israel, the Middle East, to Europe, but also through its terrorist activities, exporting chaos, exporting terrorism, basically to the whole world.”
Rutte welcomed French president Emmanuel Macron’s speech on nuclear deterrence on Monday, which he said “is opening up our conversation within Nato on what we need to have”, and adds a layer of complexity for enemies, such as Russia. - Reuters
Six people injured in Abu Dhabi
Six people were injured by falling debris in Abu Dhabi after air defences intercepted a drone, according to the Abu Dhabi media office.
The individuals injured were Pakistani and Nepalese nationals, the media office said.
Their injuries were considered minor to moderate. - Guardian
Some European countries to send navel assets to Cyprus
Italian defence minister Guido Crosetto signalled that Italy, Spain, France and the Netherlands will send naval assets to protect Cyprus in the coming days.
The defence minister also said Italy will send anti-drone and anti-missile air defence systems to Middle East countries.
”We’re not the only country facing this situation and we have all received requests for assistance,” Crosetto said.
“We are evaluating together, including how to share responsibility … we must reassess our positions in the region and respond to the requests of friendly countries in difficulty.” - Guardian
Decision on the Finalissima soccer game to be made next week
A decision on whether the showpiece game between European champions Spain and Copa America holders Argentina scheduled for March 27th will be played in Qatar will be made at the end of next week, said Uefa on Thursday.
Staging the fixture in Qatar has become increasingly unlikely after the Qatar Football Association suspended tournaments indefinitely following US and Israeli attacks on Iran and retaliatory missiles fired at the Arabian Peninsula. - Reuters
Qatar air defences are combatting a missile attack
Air defences were working to intercept a missile attack targeting Qatar on Thursday, according to the state-run Qatar News Agency. - Guardian
Sri Lanka asked to help repatriate bodies of sailors to Iran
Iran has asked Sri Lanka to help repatriate the bodies of sailors killed when the US sank an Iranian warship of the coast of Sri Lanka, according to the Sri Lankan deputy minister.
It was estimated that 180 people were on board the ship at the time it was torpedoed, with at least 80 people killed and 32 rescued.
Airstrikes hit Iran-Iraq border as US and Israeli plan to mobilise Kurds gathers pace
Intense waves of airstrikes have hit dozens of military positions, frontier posts and police stations along northern parts of Iran’s border with Iraq in what appears to be preparation by US and Israel for a new front in their war.
A US official with knowledge of the discussions between Washington and Kurdish officials said the US was ready to provide air support if Kurdish fighters crossed the border from northern Iraq.
A spokesperson for Israel’s military said the air force had been “heavily operating in western Iran to degrade Iranian capabilities there and to open up a way to Tehran and create freedom of operations there”.
With the remote border regions of Iran threatening to become a new front, Iran has warned “separatist groups” against joining the widening conflict. Tehran said on Thursday it had launched strikes against Iraq-based Kurdish groups “opposed to the revolution”.
“Separatist groups should not think that a breeze has blown and try to take action,” said the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani.
Khalil Nadiri, an official with the Kurdistan Freedom party (PAK), based in northern Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region, said on Wednesday that Kurdish opposition group leaders had been contacted by US officials regarding a potential operation, and that some of their forces had moved to areas near the Iranian border in Sulaymaniyah province and were on standby. - Guardian
Iraq’s Kurdistan regional government denies reports claiming it is involved in plans to arm Kurdish opposition groups and send them into Iran, said a spokesperson.
70 flights cancelled to and from Middle East to Dublin Airport since conflict broke out
Eleven of the 13 flights scheduled for today have been cancelled, reports Ronan McGreevy.
The only two flights still on the schedule are an inbound Emirates flight from Dubai, expected at around 7pm, and an outbound flight to Dubai, due to depart at around 10pm.
Dublin Airport spokesman Graeme McQueen said: “While these movements are welcome, further disruption to Middle East flights is likely in the days ahead. As always, passengers should contact their airline directly for updates regarding the status of their flight.”
Last night the first inbound flight from the Middle East arrived into Dublin. The Emirates flight from Dubai carried 368 passengers, some of whom had been stranded since the conflict began last Saturday.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs between 1,500 and 2,000 Irish citizens have registered with them to actively try to leave the Gulf region.
This is a mixture of residents, holidaymakers and those transiting through Middle Eastern airports when the war broke out.
Human rights lawyer Caoilfhionn Gallagher has expressed concern about the number of social media influencers posting “completely tone deaf content” from the United Arab Emirates during the current conflict, reports Vivienne Clarke.
Gallagher told Newstalk’s Claire Byrne show that the posts were part of the “culture washing” that the UAE and Saudi Arabia did while “hiding away” their “very dubious, problematic human rights record, and they present themselves as being a modern, progressive place. And having influencers posting this kind of gushing positive content is part and parcel of that.”
The barrister was responding to posts from a number of influencers saying they felt “completely safe” because of the leadership in the UAE.
“There’s kind of a meme which is going about, a template, which is being used by a lot of them, which says, ‘you live in Dubai, aren’t you scared? ‘And then there’s this reassuring music and it cuts to these images of Emirati leaders saying, ‘no, because I know who’s protecting us’. Now, that’s being put out in large part because influencers are reliant on the Emirates authorities in order to continue their role.”
“They’ve got to get a license in order to operate. And there’s been a very clear warning by the UAE authorities that the country’s cybercrime law will be used against people if they spread what’s called false news, rumours or misleading information. So the message is clear, support the UAE, say that the UAE is safe and people are jumping to it.”
“This is culture washing. And the influencers are part and parcel of that apparatus, which tries to paint the UAE as a very, very different place to the place I see having practiced for 25 years as a human rights lawyer.
Gallagher added that there was now a “more subtle threat” since February 1st this year, where all influencers and content creators have to obtain a mandatory advertiser permit from the UAE Media Council to publish any promotional content, paid or unpaid. “And those permits can be revoked if the person fails to comply with stringent media regulations.
“One of the really problematic things with UAE, and also with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is that there’s a mismatch between how they’re perceived and the reality on the ground.
“The same is also true of Hong Kong, where one of my clients is detained. So they present themselves, the business model is that they present themselves as a haven in the region, a place where it’s safe to do business, a place that’s progressive and modern and there’s this seamy underbelly which is hidden unless you get caught out.”
Middle Eastern countries concerned over risk of Iranian civil war
Countries in the Middle East have told European officials they are concerned about the risk of civil war in Iran as a result of the conflict between Tehran and the United States and Israel, European Union foreign chief Kaja Kallas said on Thursday.
“When we talk to the countries in the region, they are also worried about civil wars inside...the regime’s leadership and what is going on there,” she said ahead of a video conference with EU foreign ministers and representatives of the Gulf cooperation council on the situation in Iran and the broader Middle East.
She also said the EU is “extremely worried” about maritime security in the region and that it is trying to keep routes such as the strait of Hormuz open.
Mourners of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei gathered at the Iranian Ambassador’s residence in Jakarta on Thursday for the signing of a petition committing to international justice values.
One mourner wrote, “Trump and Netanyahu are the root of all wars, death to Trump and Netanyahu” on a whiteboard.
US and Israel ‘drag the Arabs’ into a war, according to Russia
Russia has accused the United States and Israel of trying to drag Arab countries into a wider Middle East conflict by provoking Iran into striking at targets across the region.
“They deliberately provoked Iran into retaliatory strikes against targets in some Arab countries, which led to human and material losses, which the Russian side deeply regrets,” Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“In doing so, they (Washington and Tel Aviv) are trying to drag the Arabs into a war for someone else’s interests”.
The only way to prevent the Middle East from being further destabilised was to stop the “aggression” of the US and Israel, the ministry added, saying there were no signs for now that the two “aggressors” would halt their strikes.
Minister calling for investigation into fuel price increases
The Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Peter Burke is calling for a “short investigation” by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) into price increases on fuel in the wake of the Middle East conflict, reports Vivienne Clarke.
“Hopefully within the next month I’m looking for a short investigation to look and see exactly the examples in relation to where prices have gone up very significantly that are not reflected in the international markets,” he told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland.
Burke said he would be meeting with representatives of the fuel industry later this week where he would be advising them that the CCPC is investigating the sector and asking them to set out the rationale for price increases.
“When we look at what’s happening in international markets it is telling a very different story and it’s my job to protect the consumer.”
The minister said Ireland had very strong and robust competition law which stated very clearly that if there was collusion or unfair practices, if competition law had been breached “we will take action through the courts and there is administrative fines which are very significant for those companies.“
“I think we really need to look at what’s happening in the marketplace right now because what’s very clear to me over the last number of days, what’s happening in the international markets in terms of the price of crude oil bears no reflection what’s happening in the Irish market where we’ve seen (increases) upwards of 50 percent by some consumers from their suppliers.”
In a post on X, the Irish Embassy in the United Arab Emirates described the situation across the gulf region as “unpredicted and difficult.”
Turkey to closely follow actions by Kurdish militant group
Turkey said on Thursday that it was closely following actions by the Iranian Kurdish PJAK militant group, adding that its actions threatened Iran’s security and regional stability, amid reports of discussions between Iranian Kurdish militias and the United States about the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran.
On Tuesday, sources told Reuters that the Iranian Kurdish militias had consulted with the United States about whether, and how, to attack Iran’s security forces in the western part of the country.
“The activities of groups that fuel ethnic separatism, such as the terrorist organization PJAK, negatively affect not only Iran’s security but also the overall peace and stability of the region,” Turkey’s defence ministry told a weekly press briefing in Ankara. - Reuters
Two people injured in Iran drone attack
Two people have been injured after two drones were fired into Azerbaijan by Iran.
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said one drone fell on an airport in Nakhchivan, near the border with Iran, and another landed near a school.
In a statement, it condemned the attacks, demanded an explanation from Iran, and said Azerbaijan reserved the right to take “appropriate response measures”.
Azerbaijan has summoned the Iranian ambassador in order to issue a strong protest.
There was no immediate comment from Iran. - Reuters
South Korea bans travel to Iran for citizens
South Korea has banned travel to Iran for its citizens starting at 6 p.m. (9am Irish time) on Thursday due to heightened safety risk from the war, its foreign ministry said in a statement
Azerbaijan confirm drone attacks
Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry confirm that drone attacks were carried out from the territory of Iran on Nakhchivan and has summoned Iran’s ambassador.
Ireland ‘ahead of most European member countries being able to do evacuation flights’
Neale Richmond, Minister of State with responsibility for international development and the diaspora has expressed disappointment at the claim by Senator Patricia Stephenson that the fare of €800 per person for a chartered flight was “a shakedown,” reports Vivienne Clarke.
“I’m very, very disappointed to hear that from Senator Stephenson, someone I respect very much. This is standard practice. This was the same when we did evacuation flights throughout Covid,” he told Newstalk Breakfast.
“There is a contribution. It’s understandable. There’s no mention that children will fly for free. Of course, the six-and-a-half-hour bus ride from Dubai to Muscat will be covered. We have not had any pushback from anyone on the ground. If people are in financial difficulty, that’s a different story.”
Richmond said that officials in the region and in the crisis consular centre had worked very hard to get 300 Irish citizens on a plane tomorrow from Muscat to Dublin to complement another Emirates commercial flight tonight.
“We’re in constant engagement to increase the amount of flights to get primarily those first and foremost who are stranded in transit, but then those who are there on holiday with priority going to the most vulnerable
“We’re actually ahead of most European member countries being able to do evacuation flights. Only the Italians and Germans have gone ahead of us. It is our priority.
“There’s a huge Irish population in the region and transiting through the region and we want to make sure they’re safe.”
The Minister said there were 24,000 registered in the region, 16,000 of whom had registered since Saturday, the “vast majority” were not looking to leave.
“This is their home, about 14,000 Irish people call Dubai itself their home. And I must just say the UAE government in particular have been extremely helpful to the Irish on the ground in terms of providing information, security, covering accommodation costs for those stranded there.
There had been great interest in the first charter flight announced, said Richmond. “We will run as many charter flights as we need. We’re prepared to do more into the week, but that depends on demand.”
Kurdistan region ‘must not become part of any conflict’, says leader
Nechirvan Barzani, president of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, has issued a statement commemorating the 35th anniversary of the 1991 Kurdish uprising, but in it he has also seemingly hinted at the current conflict unfolding in the Middle East.
In a statement posted on social media, he said: In this commemoration, we reiterate that the Kurdistan region, as always, must remain a key factor in peace and stability and must not become part of any conflict or military escalation that harms the lives and security of our fellow citizens. Protecting the territorial integrity of the Kurdistan region and our constitutional achievements can only be achieved through the unity, cohesion, and shared national responsibility of all political forces and components in Kurdistan. May this commemoration inspire us to overcome challenges, deepen our culture of coexistence and tolerance. Loyalty to the blood of the martyrs means standing together, hand in hand; let us work to preserve stability and build a better future for the generations to come.
His statement follows reports that the Iranian military targeted the headquarters of Iranian Kurdish forces in northern Iraq, as Tehran stepped up attacks on Kurdish regions in both Iran and Iraq.
Kurdish officials told the AP news agency that Kurdish Iranian dissident groups based in northern Iraq were preparing for a potential cross-border military operation in Iran, and the US has asked Iraqi Kurds to support them. - Guardian
Italy to send air defences to Gulf countries
Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni said her country is planning to send air defence aid to Gulf countries, following in the footsteps of the UK, France and Germany.
“This is not only because they are friendly nations, but above all because tens of thousands of Italians live in the region and around 2,000 Italian troops are deployed there, people we want and must protect,” she told the Italian radio station RTL 102.5.
Azerbaijani airport territory hit by missiles and drones
Missiles and drones flying from the direction of Iran fell on the territory of the airport in the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan on Thursday, a source close to the Azerbaijani government told Reuters.
A fire has started as a result of the incident, the source said, adding that an official statement would soon follow. It was not immediately clear how many missiles and drones fell in the area.
Nakhchivan International Airport is located roughly 10 km from the border with Iran. - Reuters
Death Toll of Middle East conflict
In Iran, 1,045 people have been killed, including 175 school girls and staff.
In Israel, 10 civilians have been killed. The Israel Defense Forces has not reported any military casualties.
In Lebanon, 77 people have been killed.
One person was killed in Bahrain.
In Kuwait, three people have been killed, including two Kuwaiti soldiers.
One person was killed in Oman.
Three people have been killed in the United Arab Emirates.
Six US service members were killed in Kuwait.
In Syria, four people were killed.
Figures according to Reuters
A UK overnight, chartered flight did not leave Oman due to ‘operational reasons’
Asked why the flight did not leave as planned, UK Home Office minister Alex Norris told BBC Breakfast, “well, there are operational reasons that can happen in circumstances where these things are being stood up quickly. I know that’s stressful for those people – that’s why there’s support on the ground.
“We made sure we got them hotel rooms for the night as well and we are facilitating and rebooking today’s flight.
“We hope that they do, and there’s multiple flights after it as well.”
The UK government is taking the war between Iran and the US “exceptionally seriously”, Norris insisted.
He added: “This is a very significant situation, one that has profound implications for our nation.
“Here, we’ve moved quickly. We will continue to work with our partners in the region in our collective self-defence.”
French government opposes Iranian strikes
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot spoke with his Iranian counterpart and told him his government opposes the Iranian strikes and urged the release of the French citizens currently held in Iran, the French foreign ministry said on Thursday.
Barrot “reiterated France’s commitment to the stability of the Middle East, to de-escalation and to the resumption of a demanding diplomatic dialogue, in compliance with international law which must govern the use of force,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Who has control of the Strait of Hormuz?
Iran’s revolutionary guards said, in time of war, passage through the Strait of Hormuz will be under the control of the Islamic Republic.
Previously the US navy said it will escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz “as soon as it can” but is focused on the conflict for now, US energy secretary Chris Wright said on Fox News on Wednesday.
“No, not yet ... We’ll do that as soon as we can. Right now, our navy, and of course, our military, is focused on other things, which is disarming this Iranian regime,” Wright said, when asked if any commercial vessels had requested US navy assistance in the Gulf.
President Donald Trump has pledged to provide insurance and naval escorts for ships to contain soaring costs, with oil prices rising on Thursday. At least 200 vessels remain anchored off the coast, according to Reuters estimates.
First group of Irish citizens returned to Dublin yesterday evening
Emirates flight EK163 touched down just before 11pm, with 368 passengers on board, many of them transiting through Ireland before travelling on to other European destinations.
Many of those on the flight had been in the UAE city since last Saturday amid the conflict between Iran and the US and Israel, which caused widespread airspace closures in the Middle East, sparking major disruption to travel
Further direct flights from the Middle East are due to land in Dublin on Thursday, and a Government-chartered plane is expected to fly from Oman to Ireland later this week.
Some were too overcome to speak as they arrived late on Thursday night, while others described alarms in the middle of the night and seeing missile trails in Dubai where the Fairmont The Palm Hotel and the airport were hit.
For more, read here.
US ship on fire following Iranian hits
According to state media, Iran’s revolutionary guards say they have hit a US tanker in the northern part of the gulf, which is now on fire. - Reuters
However, the US has not confirmed.
US tells Israel ‘continue to the end, we are with you’
US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, told Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz to “continue to the end, we are with you”, according to a statement by his office.
Katz expressed his condolences over the deaths of US soldiers in the Iran conflict, and thanked Hegseth and US president Donald Trump for their “great support for Israel”.
“The cooperation between president Trump and prime minister [Binyamin] Netanyahu against Iran is changing regional and global history,” the statement from the Israeli defence minister’s office said, according to the Times of Israel. - Guardian
US Senate blocks measure to halt American air assault
Republican senators in Washington voted against a motion aimed at stopping the air campaign and requiring that military action be authorised by Congress, leaving Donald Trump’s power to direct the war largely unbound. - Guardian
The US Senate voted 53 to 47 not to advance the resolution, largely along party lines, with all but one Republican voting against the procedural motion and all but one Democrat supporting it. - Reuters
For more, read here.
Hamas official killed in Israeli strikes
Israel said it carried out strikes on Beirut targeting Hizbullah on Thursday while Lebanese state media reported an Israeli drone strike killed a Hamas official.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported several strikes early in the day, including two in the Hizbullah stronghold of south Beirut, where smoke was seen rising.
Israel’s military, which earlier told residents to leave the suburbs where the strikes were reported, said its forces hit several “command centres” of the Iran-backed militant group in the city.
The NNA said a pre-dawn Israeli drone strike hit an apartment in Beddawi, a Palestinian refugee camp near Tripoli, killing senior Hamas official Wassim Atallah al-Ali and his wife.
This is the first reported targeted killing of a Hamas official since the regional war began on Saturday. - Guardian
US will ‘bitterly regret’ sinking Iranian warship
Iran’s foreign minister said the US will “bitterly regret” sinking an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka.
Abas Araghchi posted on X: The US has perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran’s shores. Frigate Dena, a guest of India’s navy carrying almost 130 sailors, was struck in international waters without warning. Mark my words: The US will come to bitterly regret precedent it has set.
US defence secretary Pete Hegseth earlier confirmed that a US submarine sunk the Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, saying the ship “thought it was safe in international waters”.
He said, “instead it was sunk by a torpedo, a quiet death – the first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since world war II. Like in that war, back when we were still the war department, we are fighting to win." - Guardian
Member of exiled Iranian Kurdish group killed by Iranian hit
Iran says it has targeted Kurdish groups in Iraq and warned “separatist groups” against action in the widening war.
Tehran said on Thursday it had hit Iraq-based Kurdish groups “opposed to the revolution”, as reports said the US was looking to arm Kurdish militias to infiltrate Iran.
The strikes, which killed a member from an exiled Iranian Kurdish group, according to a representative, came after a warning from Iranian officials. - Guardian
Iran to respect Turkey’s sovereignty
Following the missile Iran fired toward Turkey yesterday and was destroyed by Nato air and missile defence systems, Iran’s armed forces, said in a statement, that they will respect Turkey’s sovereignty and deny firing any missile towards its territory. - Guardian
As many as 24,000 Australians stuck in UAE
Australia’s government has deployed military assets as part of contingency planning to assist Australians stranded in the Middle East.
The government is planning contingencies to help tens of thousands of Australian citizens and permanent residents.
While the government is urging Australians to take up commercial options to get home, the defence department has launched Operation Beech, part of the consular effort to provide assistance.
As many as 24,000 Australians are stuck in the United Arab Emirates alone. - Guardian
Fresh attacks on Iran
The Israeli military has reportedly said it is beginning a new widespread wave of attacks in Tehran, as the conflict enters its sixth day. - Guardian
Iran also launched a wave of missiles at Israel early on Thursday, sending millions of residents into bomb shelters, with attacks on Israeli and American bases.
