Airlines in the Gulf adjust routes after Iran’s attack on Israel

Update Airlines in the Gulf adjust routes after Iran’s attack on Israel
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Two Emirates aircraft sit on the tarmac at Liszt Ferenc Airport in Budapest, Hungary on Oct. 1, 2024, after three earlier Emirates flights interrupted their journey over Turkiye, turned back and landed in Budapest due to the conflict in the Middle East. (MTI via AP)
Update A Lebanese Middle East Airlines plane takes off from Beirut-Rafic Al Hariri International Airport on Oct. 1, 2024. (Reuters)
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A Lebanese Middle East Airlines plane takes off from Beirut-Rafic Al Hariri International Airport on Oct. 1, 2024. (Reuters)
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Airlines in the Gulf adjust routes after Iran’s attack on Israel

Airlines in the Gulf adjust routes after Iran’s attack on Israel
  • Neighboring countries have closed their airspace and airline crews are navigating alternative routes to avoid the escalating conflict

DUBAI: Several airlines operating in the Gulf have adjusted their flight routes to ensure passenger safety following Iran’s attack on Israel.

Neighboring countries have closed their airspace and airline crews are navigating alternative routes to avoid the escalating conflict.

Etihad Airways

Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways said it is rerouting several flights on Wednesday due to airspace restrictions in parts of the Middle East. Etihad said it is continuously monitoring security and airspace updates as the situation evolves.

Emirates Airlines

Emirates canceled all flights to and from Iraq (Basra and Baghdad), Iran, and Jordan on Oct. 2 and 3. The airline is closely monitoring the situation in the region and is in contact with relevant authorities regarding any developments.

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways temporarily suspended flights to and from Iraq and Iran due to airspace closures.

Flydubai

Flydubai canceled flights to Jordan, Iraq, Israel, and Iran on Oct. 2 and 3 due to the temporary closure of airspace, according to a statement provided to Reuters.

Kuwait Airways

Kuwait Airways said on Tuesday it had adjusted the flight routes for some of its services, resulting in changes to destination timings.

“This is in application of necessary security measures and to ensure the safety of passengers,” the airline said.

A spokesperson for tracking service FlightRadar24 said flights diverted “anywhere they could,” and a snapshot of traffic in the region showed flights spreading in wide arcs to the north and south, with many converging on Cairo and Istanbul.

FlightRadar24 said Istanbul and Antalya in southern Turkiye were becoming congested, forcing some airlines to divert south.

Iran launched the strikes in retaliation for Israel’s campaign against Tehran’s Hezbollah allies in Lebanon, and Israel vowed a “painful response” against its enemy.

Eurocontrol, a pan-European air traffic control agency, earlier sent a warning to pilots about the escalating conflict.

“A major missile attack has been launched against Israel in the last few minutes. At present the entire country is under a missile warning,” it said in an urgent navigation bulletin.

Shortly afterwards it announced the closure of Jordanian and Iraqi airspace as well as the closure of a key crossing point into airspace controlled by Cyprus.

An Iraqi pilot bulletin said its Baghdad-controlled airspace was “closed due to security until further notice.”

Iraq’s transport ministry later announced the reopening of Iraqi airspace to incoming and outgoing civilian flights at Iraqi airports. FlightRadar24 said on X that “it will be a while before flights are active there again.”

Jordan also reopened its airspace after closing it following the volley of Iranian missiles fired toward Israel, the Jordanian state news agency reported.

Lebanon’s airspace will be closed to air traffic for a two-hour period on Tuesday, Transport Minister Ali Hamie said on X.

The latest disruptions are expected to deal a further blow to an industry already facing a host of restrictions due to conflicts between Israel and Hamas, and Russia and Ukraine.


Palestinian officials say 32 killed in Israeli strikes on southern Gaza

Palestinian officials say 32 killed in Israeli strikes on southern Gaza
Updated 4 sec ago
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Palestinian officials say 32 killed in Israeli strikes on southern Gaza

Palestinian officials say 32 killed in Israeli strikes on southern Gaza
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip: At least 32 people have been killed in Israeli strikes in southern Gaza killed at least 32 people overnight and into Wednesday, Palestinian medical officials said.
The European Hospital in the hard-hit city of Khan Younis said it received the bodies after heavy Israeli airstrikes and ground operations in the city. It said the dead include several women and children, and that dozens of people were wounded.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.
Israel has continued to strike what it says are militant targets across Gaza nearly a year after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack ignited the war there, even as attention has shifted to Lebanon, where Israel is battling Hezbollah, and to Iran, which launched a ballistic missile attack on Israel late Tuesday.
Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people on Oct. 7 and took around 250 hostage. Around 100 are still in captivity in Gaza, a third of whom are believed to be dead.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 41,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities, flattened wide areas across Gaza and displaced the vast majority of its 2.3 million people, often multiple times.

Hezbollah says clashed with Israeli troops who tried to ‘infiltrate’ into Lebanon

Hezbollah says clashed with Israeli troops who tried to ‘infiltrate’ into Lebanon
Updated 36 min 7 sec ago
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Hezbollah says clashed with Israeli troops who tried to ‘infiltrate’ into Lebanon

Hezbollah says clashed with Israeli troops who tried to ‘infiltrate’ into Lebanon

BEIRUT: Hezbollah said Wednesday it clashed with Israeli soldiers who tried to infiltrate into Lebanon, and also targeted Israeli troops across the border, according to statements from the Iran-backed Lebanese group.
Hezbollah fighters confronted “an Israeli enemy infantry force that tried to infiltrate into the village of Adaysseh... and clashed with them,” a statement said, adding separately that Hezbollah fighters also targeted Israeli forces at three different points across the border with rockets and artillery.


Iran says attack on Israel is over as fears grow of wider conflict

Iran says attack on Israel is over as fears grow of wider conflict
Updated 49 min 51 sec ago
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Iran says attack on Israel is over as fears grow of wider conflict

Iran says attack on Israel is over as fears grow of wider conflict
  • Iran described Tuesday’s assault on Israel as defensive and solely aimed at its military facilities
  • US Navy warships fired about a dozen interceptors against Iranian missiles headed toward Israel, the Pentagon said

JERUSALEM/BEIRUT: Iran said on Wednesday its missile attack on Israel, its biggest military assault on the Jewish state, was over, barring further provocation, while Israel and the United States promised to retaliate against Tehran as fears of a wider war intensified.

Despite calls for a ceasefire from the United Nations, the United States and the European Union, fighting between Israel and Hezbollah continued on Wednesday.

Israel renewed its bombardment of Beirut’s southern suburbs, a stronghold of the Iran-backed armed Hezbollah group, with at least a dozen airstrikes against what it said were targets belonging the group.

Large plumes of smoke were seen rising from parts of the suburbs. Israel issued new evacuation orders for the area, which has largely emptied after days of heavy strikes.

Hezbollah said it confronted Israeli forces infiltrating the Lebanese town of Adaisseh early on Wednesday and forced them to retreat.

Iran described Tuesday’s assault on Israel as defensive and solely aimed at its military facilities. Iran’s state news agency said three Israeli military bases had been targeted.

Tehran said its assault was a response to Israeli killings of militant leaders and aggression in Lebanon against Hezbollah and in Gaza.

“Our action is concluded unless the Israeli regime decides to invite further retaliation. In that scenario, our response will be stronger and more powerful,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a post on X early on Wednesday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to hit back. “Iran made a big mistake tonight — and it will pay for it,” he said at the outset of an emergency political security cabinet meeting late on Tuesday, according to a statement.

Washington said it would work with longtime ally Israel to ensure Iran faced “severe consequences” for Tuesday’s attack, which Israel said involved more than 180 ballistic missiles.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke to Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant late on Tuesday and said Washington was “well-postured” to defend its interests in the Middle East, the Pentagon said in a statement.

“The minister and I expressed mutual appreciation for the coordinated defense of Israel against nearly 200 ballistic missiles launched by Iran and committed to remain in close contact,” Austin said separately in a post on X.

US Navy warships fired about a dozen interceptors against Iranian missiles headed toward Israel, the Pentagon said. Britain said its forces played a part “in attempts to prevent further escalation in the Middle East,” without elaborating.

The Pentagon said Tuesday’s airstrikes by Iran were about twice the size of April’s assault by Iran on Israel.

“THE RESPONSE WILL BE PAINFUL“

Israel activated air defenses against Iran’s bombardment on Tuesday and most missiles were intercepted “by Israel and a defensive coalition led by the United States,” Israeli Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said in a video on X, adding: “Iran’s attack is a severe and dangerous escalation.”

Iran’s forces on Tuesday used hypersonic Fattah missiles for the first time, and 90 percent of its missiles successfully hit their targets in Israel, the Revolutionary Guards said.

In a statement on state media, the general staff of Iran’s armed forces said any Israeli response would be met with “vast destruction” of the latter’s infrastructure.

It also said it would target the regional assets of any Israeli ally that got involved.

Fears that Iran and the US could be drawn into a regional war have risen with Israel’s growing assault on Lebanon in the past two weeks, including the start of a ground operation there on Monday, while its conflict in the Gaza Strip is a year old.

US President Joe Biden expressed full US support for Israel and described Iran’s attack as “ineffective.” Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, backed Biden’s stance and said the United States would not hesitate to defend its interests against Iran.

“We will act. Iran will soon feel the consequences of their actions. The response will be painful,” Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon told reporters.

The White House similarly promised “severe consequences” for Iran and spokesman Jake Sullivan told a Washington briefing the United States would “work with Israel to make that the case.”

Sullivan did not specify what those consequences might be.

In a statement, French President Emmanuel Macron said he strongly condemns Iran’s new attacks on Israel, adding that in a sign of its commitment to Israel’s security France mobilized its military resources in the Middle East on Wednesday.

The United Nations Security Council scheduled a meeting about the Middle East conflict for Wednesday, and the European Union called for an immediate ceasefire.

Nearly 1,900 people have been killed and more than 9,000 wounded in Lebanon in almost a year of cross-border fighting, most in the past two weeks, Lebanese government statistics showed on Tuesday.


Israeli strikes pound Beirut’s southern suburbs on Wednesday

Israeli strikes pound Beirut’s southern suburbs on Wednesday
Updated 02 October 2024
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Israeli strikes pound Beirut’s southern suburbs on Wednesday

Israeli strikes pound Beirut’s southern suburbs on Wednesday
  • Five Israeli strikes hit Beirut’s southern suburbs early Wednesday
  • Israeli military said it was targeting sites of the Hezbollah group 

BEIRUT: At least five Israeli strikes hit Beirut’s southern suburbs early Wednesday, a Lebanese security source said, as the Israeli military said it was targeting Hezbollah sites and issued several evacuation orders.

“At least five Israeli strikes targeted Beirut’s southern suburbs,” the source said, requesting anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

AFP correspondents heard multiple explosions and saw smoke rising in one area while a fire appeared to burn.

The Israeli military said early Wednesday that it was “currently striking Hezbollah terror targets in Beirut.”

Israel has repeatedly bombarded Beirut’s southern suburbs since last week, a densely-populated Hezbollah bastion where Israel says it is targeting sites belonging to the group.

A massive raid in the area on Friday killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah.

Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee had earlier on X issued several orders for residents to leave.

“You are located near dangerous Hezbollah facilities, which the IDF (Israeli military) will act against with force in the near future,” read one of the warnings, which mentioned the area of Haret Hreik.


What are Iran’s missile capabilities?

What are Iran’s missile capabilities?
Updated 02 October 2024
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What are Iran’s missile capabilities?

What are Iran’s missile capabilities?
  • “Years of reverse-engineering missiles and producing various missile classes have also taught Iran about stretching airframes and building them with lighter composite materials to increase missile range,” the report said

TEHRAN: Iran fired a salvo of ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday in retaliation for Israel’s campaign against Tehran’s Hezbollah allies in Lebanon, drawing on an array of weapons that has long worried the West. The attack came five months after a strike in April that was the first ever direct Iranian strike on Israel. Ballistic missiles are an important part of the arsenal at Tehran’s disposal. According to the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Iran is armed with the largest number of ballistic missiles in the region.

Here are some details: * The semi-official Iranian news outlet ISNA published a graphic in April showing nine Iranian missiles it said could reach Israel. These included the ‘Sejil’, capable of flying at more than 17,000 km (10,500 miles) per hour and with a range of 2,500 km (1,550 miles), the ‘Kheibar’ with a range of 2,000 km (1,240 miles), and the ‘Hajj Qasem’, which has a range of 1,400 km (870 miles), ISNA said. * The Arms Control Association, a Washington-based non-governmental organization, says Iran’s ballistic missiles include ‘Shahab-1’, with an estimated range of 300 km (190 miles); the ‘Zolfaghar’, with 700 km (435 miles); ‘Shahab-3’, with 800-1,000 km (500 to 620 miles); ‘Emad-1’, a missile under development with a range up to 2,000 km (1,240 miles) and ‘Sejil’, under development, with 1,500-2,500 km (930 to 1,550 miles).
* Fabian Hinz, a Berlin-based expert on Iran’s missile arsenal with the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said that based on the locations of videos of launches posted on social media and the ranges to Israel, he assessed that Iran fired a combination of solid- and liquid-fueled missiles.
The former category of missile, which is more advanced, is fired from angled mobile launchers and the latter from vertical launchers, he said.
He said three solid-propellent missiles fired on Tuesday could be the ‘Hajj Qasem’, ‘Kheibar Shekan’ and ‘Fattah 1’. Liquid propellant missiles reported as being launched from Isfahan might potentially be the ‘Emad’, ‘Badr’ and ‘Khorramshahr’, he said.
* Iran says its ballistic missiles are an important deterrent and retaliatory force against the US, Israel and other potential regional targets. It denies seeking nuclear weapons.
* According to a 2023 report by Behnam Ben Taleblu, a Senior Fellow at the US-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Iran continues to develop underground missile depots complete with transport and firing systems, and subterranean missile production and storage centers. In June 2020, Iran fired its first ever ballistic missile from underground, it said.

“Years of reverse-engineering missiles and producing various missile classes have also taught Iran about stretching airframes and building them with lighter composite materials to increase missile range,” the report said. * In June 2023, Iran presented what officials described as its first domestically made hypersonic ballistic missile, the official IRNA news agency reported. Hypersonic missiles can fly at least five times faster than the speed of sound and on a complex trajectory, which makes them difficult to intercept.
* The Arms Control Association says Iran’s missile program is largely based on North Korean and Russian designs and has benefited from Chinese assistance.
* Iran also has cruise missiles such as Kh-55, an air-launched nuclear-capable weapon with a range up to 3,000 km (1,860 miles), and the advanced anti-ship missile the Khalid Farzh, with about 300 km (186 miles), capable of carrying a 1,000-kg (1.1-ton) warhead.

REGIONAL ATTACKS
• Iran’s Revolutionary Guards used missiles in January 2024 when they said they attacked the spy headquarters of Israel in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, and said they fired at Daesh militants in Syria. Iran also announced firing missiles at two bases of a Baluchi militant group in neighboring Pakistan.
• Saudi Arabia and the US have said they believe Iran was behind a drone and missile attack on Saudi Arabia’s prized oil facilities in 2019. Tehran denied the allegation.
• In 2020, Iran launched missile attacks on US-led forces in Iraq, including the Al-Asad air base, in retaliation for a US drone strike on an Iranian commander.

BACKING FOR YEMEN’S HOUTHIS
• The United States accuses Iran of arming the Houthis of Yemen, who have been firing on Red Sea shipping and Israel itself during the Gaza war, in a campaign they say is aimed at supporting the Palestinians. Tehran denies arming the Houthis. * On Sept. 24, Reuters reported Iran had brokered secret talks between Russia and the Houthis to transfer anti-ship missiles to the armed group, citing Western and regional sources.
• In 2022, the Houthis said they fired ballistic missiles and drones at the United Arab Emirates. This included a missile attack targeting a base hosting the US military in the UAE, which was thwarted by US-built Patriot interceptor missiles.

SUPPORT FOR HEZBOLLAH * Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah group has said it has the ability within Lebanon to convert thousands of rockets into precision missiles and to produce drones. Last year, the late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said the group was able to transform standard rockets into precision missiles with the cooperation of Iranian experts.

SYRIA
• Iran has transferred indigenous precision-guided missiles to Syria to support President Bashar Assad’s fight against rebels, according to Israeli and Western intelligence officials.
• It has moved some production capacity to underground compounds in Syria, where Assad’s military and other pro-Tehran forces have learned to build their own missiles, those sources say.