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Flights cancelled as travel warnings issued after strikes on Iran
Airlines serving the Middle East cancelled and diverted flights on Saturday after the US and Israel launched deadly strikes against on Iran, including its capital Tehran.
British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Wizz Air were among carriers to pare back their schedules to destinations in the Middle East, citing safety concerns.
Iran responded by launching a series of attacks, with Israel and four Gulf Arab countries that host US military bases – Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE – targeted by strikes.
The UK Foreign Office urged British nationals in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to immediately shelter in place following explosions.
US President Donald Trump cited a failure to reach an agreement to limit Iran’s nuclear programme and regime change as among the reasons for launching the attack.
Iranian and Israeli airspace were both closed on Saturday, with flight tracking showed international air traffic avoiding the region.
All flights in and out of Dubai International and Al Maktoum International airport in Dubai were suspended on Saturday afternoon.
On Saturday evening, the media office for Dubai International said the airport had sustained “minor damage in an incident” and that four members of staff had been injured.
Qatar Airways confirmed the temporary suspension of flights to and from its capital Doha due to the closure of Qatari airspace, later saying operations would resume 19:00 Doha time on Sunday (16:00 GMT).
British Airways cancelled services to Tel Aviv and Bahrain until Wednesday.
Virgin Atlantic cancelled a Heathrow to Dubai flight and warned its flights to India, Saudi Arabia and the Maldives may take longer due to being rerouted.
Wizz Air suspended all flights to and from Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman up until and including next Saturday.
Heathrow, the UK’s busiest airport, urged travellers to check with their airline for updates.
Passengers on the 20:00 flight to Doha on Friday returned to Heathrow after it turned back part way through the journey, but this was due to a technical issue with the aircraft and unrelated to the military action.
[BBC]
Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, has landed in Iran as part of a delegation to hold high-level talks on the resumption of talks between Iran and the US.
Iran’s army has warned it will block trade through the Red Sea along with the Gulf and Sea of Oman if the US naval blockade on Iranian ports continues.
The US military says it has “completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea” as its blockade in the Strait of Hormuz continues for a second day.
US President Donald Trump says the war is “close to over” after hinting at a second round of face-to-face talks with Iran in Pakistan in the coming days.
(Aljazeera)
More than 200 Iranian sailors left stranded in Sri Lanka after a US torpedo attack are returning home after being stuck in the country for more than a month.
On Wednesday, Sri Lanka’s Deputy Defence Minister, Aruna Jayasekara, confirmed 32 sailors rescued from the Iris Dena and 206 from Irins Bushehr, had left the country.
The Iranian warship, Iris Dena, sank on 4 March about 40km (25 miles) from Sri Lanka’s southern coastline after it was hit by a torpedo from a US submarine, killing 104 sailors.
On March 5, Sri Lanka took control of the Iranian naval vessel, Irins Bushehr, after it had requested to dock at one of country’s ports after one of its engines malfunctioned.
Speaking to Reuters, Jayasekara confirmed the crew of both ships were flown out on Tuesday night.
The stranded sailors were granted 30-day entry visas by the Sri Lankan government and were housed in navy and air force camps.
The Iris Dena had been returning from a military exercise hosted by India when it was attacked.
Video released by the US Department of Defense after the incident showed a ship being struck, causing the stern to rise up before exploding.
The bodies of 84 Iranian sailors killed in the attack were recovered and later repatriated in a chartered plane arranged by Iran.
Its sinking in international waters came just a few days into the current US-Israeli war with Iran and marked a dramatic widening of the conflict.
Iran has since launched retaliatory strikes across the Middle East – targeting Gulf countries allied with the US.
About 15 Iranian sailors will remain in Sri Lanka to operate the Irins Bushehr, which is anchored off Trincomalee in the northeast of the island.
Sri Lankq had allowed the Iranian vessel to dock at a north-eastern port on 5 March after hours of discussion, with its president saying they would “never hesitate to protect humanity”.
“Our position has been to safeguard our neutrality while demonstrating our humanitarian values,” President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said in a statement at the time.
“[Sri Lanka] intervened in a way that demonstrated our commitment to international conventions, protecting the reputation and dignity of our country, and protecting human lives,” he said.
Sri Lanka has maintained a long-standing policy of non-alignment since it became independent in 1948.
It has strong economic and diplomatic ties with both Iran and the US.
(BBC)
The Indonesian Navy Sailing Ship KRI BIMA SUCI – 945 arrived at the Port of Colombo on a goodwill visit on 15 Apr 2026 and was welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) in compliance with time-honoured naval traditions.
The vessel’s arrival is a key highlight of the ASEAN Plus Cadet Sail (APCS) – 2026 programme , accompanying a diverse contingent of Navy cadets from 26 different nations alongside their Indonesian counterparts.
The ship is commanded by Commander SUGENG HARIYANTO. Meanwhile, Officer Under-trainees of the Sri Lanka Navy are expected to participate in various programmes aboard the
ship and naval personnel observe its operational functions during its stay in the island.
Furthermore, the ship’s crew is scheduled to take part in programmes organized by the Sri Lanka Navy to enhance camaraderie between the two navies, as well as visit several tourist attractions in the country.
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