The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice to warn against all travel to Israel and Palestine, and has urged Brits already in other Middle Eastern countries to “immediately shelter in place”

A passenger on board a flight out of Dubai back to London, was forced off the plane 10 minutes after boarding as airspace in the region closed over strikes.

Mike Boreham was on board British Airways flight 108 along with hundreds of others heading to Heathrow, as the United Arab Emirates came under attack from missiles as Iran retaliated to the US-Israeli military strike.

While sitting on the plane at the gate around 10 minutes after the pilot announced that boarding was complete, the captain came back over the PA system to say the airspace was closed and no-one was taking off.

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READ MORE: Iran attacks: Flights cancelled in Dubai and wider Middle East amid war fearsREAD MORE: Dubai hotel LIVE: Horror as Fairmont Hotel erupts into flames on The Palm

They all headed back into the terminal and it is not yet clear when the flight will be able to finally take off. Mr Boreham told the Independent: “We were all boarded. The flight is completely full. About 10 minutes after the ‘boarding complete’ announcement we were told airspace is closed.”

After the closure was announced, many flights heading for Dubai returned to their starting points, including Emirates from Dublin, Turkish Airlines to Istanbul and LOT to Warsaw. Dubai Airports confirms that all flight operations at Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC) are suspended.

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Jo Rhodes, Which? Travel Expert, said: “In light of the ongoing situation in the Middle East, many airlines are taking precautionary steps to amend their schedules, including cancelling flights in the region. Given the extraordinary circumstances, passengers on delayed or cancelled flights will not be entitled to compensation.

“However, if you are flying with a UK or EU airline, or are departing a UK or EU airport with any carrier, your airline should provide assistance during your delay. Depending on the length of your delay, assistance may include food and drink and, where necessary, overnight accommodation. If your journey is cancelled, you are entitled to a full refund.”

The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice to warn against all travel to Israel and Palestine, and has urged British nationals already in other Middle Eastern countries to “immediately shelter in place”. The FCDO said: “Due to the threat posed by escalation in the region, we recommend against all travel to Israel and Palestine. On 28 February 2026, the US and Israel commenced joint military action in Iran, Israeli airspace has now closed.”

British nationals in the region are urged to take “sensible precautions”, including following advice from regional authorities, staying away from military facilities and ensuring travel documents are up to date. The updated advice on the FCDO website also warned British nationals in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait to immediately find shelter in place.

“Remain indoors in a secure location, avoid all travel and follow instructions from the local authorities,” the update read

Zack Snyder has pushed back against criticism of his fanbase while reflecting on the legacy of his work with DC Films.

The filmmaker, 59, directed three films for DC’s extended universe – Man of Steel (2013), Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017).

After the original release of Justice League saw him cede creative control of the project, a hard-fought fan campaign to “release the Snyder cut” ultimately resulted in the development of Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021), a vastly different version of the film in line with his own vision.

During an appearance on the Happy, Sad, Confused podcast, Snyder addressed fans’ calls for him to continue the “Snyderverse” – despite his collaborations with DC having seemingly come to an end.

“I would never say there is no way,” Snyder said. “I was on the ride that created Justice League, and if you were in my shoes there were numerous times, dark times, when there was no chance that there will ever be my version of it. It will never exist. It can’t… cost, politics, everything stood against.

“And yet it exists. The fans should never forget they did that.”

Snyder also condemned people who gave his fanbase “flak” for being “toxic”, pointing out the money they had raised for suicide prevention.

“They also raised a ton of money for suicide prevention. They did a lot of good,” he said. “They catch a lot of flak for being toxic or whatever, but they literally saved human lives. You can go f*** yourselves if that’s what you think.”

Snyder’s daughter Autumn died by suicide in 2017. The tragedy prompted him to depart the production of Justice League and led to Avengers Assemble’s Joss Whedon stepping in to re-shoot and re-cut parts of the film.

The Snyderverse fandom raised around half a million dollars in honour of Snyder’s daughter, given to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

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Elsewhere in the interview, Snyder defended the middlingly received Batman v Superman, stating: “My 100 per cent honest reaction to Batman v Superman and how it’s received in the world is… Do you really want a movie that’s had all the edges shaved off it by the focus groups?

“Do you really want a movie where the decisions have been made in a boardroom, or tested ideas have been rendered for your enjoyment? Do you really want the Kmart version of your story? Is that what you really want?”

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.

BRUSSELS (AP) — World leaders reacted warily to U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Saturday that triggered concerns of a broader conflict.

European leaders held emergency meetings and took measures to protect their citizens in the Middle East, with key leaders calling for a negotiated settlement between Iran and the U.S. Australia and Canada were more open in their support for the strikes, while Russia and China responded with criticism.

Britain, France and Germany called for a resumption of U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations and condemned Iranian attacks on countries in the region. They did not directly comment on the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in a statement their countries didn’t take part in the strikes on Iran but are in close contact with the U.S., Israel and partners in the region.

The three countries have led efforts to reach a negotiated solution over Iran’s nuclear program.

“We condemn Iranian attacks on countries in the region in the strongest terms. Iran must refrain from indiscriminate military strikes. We call for a resumption of negotiations and urge the Iranian leadership to seek a negotiated solution. Ultimately, the Iranian people must be allowed to determine their future,” they said.

The strikes on Iran create a dilemma for Washington’s allies. While European leaders firmly oppose Iran’s nuclear program and crackdowns by its hard-line theocracy, they are loath to embrace unilateral military action by President Donald Trump that could breach international law and unleash a broader conflict.

Trump’s strikes on Iran last June, and the arrest of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro last month, caused a similar quandary.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry called the strikes “a pre-planned and unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign and independent U.N. member state.” The ministry accused Washington and Tel Aviv of “hiding behind” concerns about Iran’s nuclear program while actually pursuing regime change.

China’s government said it was “highly concerned” about the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and called for an immediate halt to the military action and a return to negotiations. “Iran’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity should be respected,” a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement said.

Concern of ‘new, extensive’ war

It was unclear whether U.S. allies were given any advance warning of the attacks. The German government said it was only given notice Saturday morning. France’s junior defense minister said France knew something would happen, but didn’t know when.

Earlier on Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron called for an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting in response to the strikes in Iran.

“The outbreak of war among the United States, Israel and Iran has serious consequences for peace and international security,″ Macron said earlier on Saturday.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer chaired a meeting of the government’s emergency committee on Saturday morning. “We do not want to see further escalation into a wider regional conflict,” a U.K. government spokesperson said.

The German government’s crisis management team also was also due to meet on Saturday.

“NATO is closely following developments in Iran and the region,” NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his country supports the U.S. in its effort to stop Iran from obtaining an atomic bomb. He described Iran’s current leadership as a destabilizing force and noted two attacks on Australian soil that were blamed on Tehran.

Australia in August cut off diplomatic relations with Iran and expelled its ambassador after accusing it of orchestrating two antisemitic attacks in the country.

Canada too, despite recent tensions with the U.S., expressed its support for the military action. “The Islamic Republic of Iran is the principal source of instability and terror throughout the Middle East,” Prime Minister Mark Carney said.

EU urges diplomacy

Responding to the attack, the European Union’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas called the conflict in the Middle East “perilous” and said she was working with Israeli and Arab officials to pursue a negotiated peace.

EU leaders issued a joint statement Saturday calling for restraint and engaging in regional diplomacy in hopes of “ensuring nuclear safety.”

“We call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, to protect civilians, and to fully respect international law,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that he was concerned the failure of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran meant a “new, extensive war in the Middle East” would happen.

‘Totally irresponsible’

The Nobel Peace Prize-winning International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons condemned the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in harsher words.

“These attacks are totally irresponsible and risk provoking further escalation as well as increasing the danger of nuclear proliferation and the use of nuclear weapons,” said its executive director, Melissa Parke.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim condemned Israeli strikes on Iran and accompanying U.S. military action, warning that the escalating conflict has pushed the Middle East to the “edge of catastrophe.”

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday condemned what he described as “unwarranted attacks” on Iran during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi.

___

Ciobanu reported from Warsaw. Associated Press writers Angela Charlton in Paris, Paolo Santalucia in Rome, Suman Naishadham in Madrid, Elise Morton and Krutika Pathi in London, Jamey Keaton in Geneva, Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Fatma Khaled in Cairo, Ken Moritsugu in Beijing and Adam Schreck in Bangkok contributed to this report.

Erling Haaland has not been named in the Manchester City side to take on Leeds United in their crunch Premier League clash this evening, with reports suggesting the Norwegian superstar is dealing with a knee injury.

Haaland didn’t travel to Elland Road with the Man City squad, after suffering an injury in training ahead of the trip.

Norwegian pundit Jan Aage Fjortoft revealed on Viaplay Football that the 25-year-old striker’s issue is only minor and he is expected to return for City’s game with Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night.

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City can ill afford any slip-ups in the Premier League title race as they try to hunt down Arsenal, trailing the Gunners by five points heading into the weekend, albeit with a game in hand.

Pep Guardiola’s side have been in superb form domestically in recent week, winning four and drawing one of their last five league games since a 2-0 defeat in the Manchester derby in mid-January.

Haaland’s absence will be a blow however, with Omar Marmoush set to lead the line against Leeds – and the likes of Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki as the other attacking forces in the starting XI.

The Norwegian has scored just two goals in his last six Premier League games but still tops the divisions’ goalscoring charts with 22 goals this season.

Snack giant Tyrrells has announced it will axe its vegetable crisps range, pulling the once-iconic savoury treat from stores.

Parent company KP Snacks confirmed that, following a ‘sustained decline in demand and the loss of key export volumes’, it has taken the decision to close its factory in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, where Tyrrells vegetable crisps are produced.

KP Snacks acquired the hand-cooked crisp brand Tyrrells from The Hershey Company back in 2018, marking a new chapter for the premium snack label.

However, amid ongoing market pressures, Tyrrells has been forced to scale back one of its most recognisable lines.

First hitting stores in 2003, the brand’s vegetable crisps feature a range of hand-cooked, gluten-free, and vegan-friendly root vegetable mixes seasoned primarily with sea salt. One of the most popular bags includes a mix of parsnip, beetroot, and carrot flavours.

For some, they’ve become a cupboard staple. But it looks like now the hunt will officially be on to find the best alternative option.

Tyrrells was first launched by Herefordshire potato farmer William Chase in 2002.

Known for both its taste and quality ingredients, Tyrrells carved a spot for itself in the market and quickly started racking up accolades.

In fact, the crisp brand regularly cleans up at the Great Taste Awards, the world’s largest, most respected food accreditation scheme – organised by the Guild of Fine Food.

With over 69 gold awards, Tyrrells has bagged more wins than any other premium crisp brand.

And unsurprisingly, everyone’s favourite summer snack, the signature Sea Salt & Cider Vinegar crisps, has won eight gold medals over 14 years.

Following the news, a spokesperson from Tyrrells made sure to stress that there are no planned changes to its other potato crisp ranges, assuring customers that the existing lines are ‘not affected and continue to perform strongly’.

However, that does little to ease the nerves of the workers currently stationed at the factory in Uttoxeter.

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The company has stated: ‘While no final decisions have been made, we appreciate this is an uncertain time for our colleagues at Uttoxeter and we are supporting them throughout the consultation process. 

‘Should the proposal progress, we will explore any ways to reduce or avoid redundancies where possible.’

Social media users online have hypothesised that one of the reasons demand for the vegetable crisp line may have dwindled is due to the hefty price tag.

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‘I love them but they’re too pricey’

Everyone has a favourite vegetable crisp, mine has personally always been beetroot.

However, with more and more alternative options popping up on store shelves, Tyrrell’s premium cost may have officially pushed people away.

At £2.75 for a 125g bag, Tyrrells sits at the top end of the vegetable crisp market.

In comparison, an 100g bag of Marks & Spencer’s own brand of Vegetable Crisps, made up of a similar beetroot, parsnip, and sweet potato mix, is only £1.85.

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Or there’s the Tesco Finest Root Vegetable with Sea Salt crisps, an 125g bag of those will set you back £2.40 – every little helps!

Following the announcement, fans flooded social media with their thoughts and suggestions. And as it turns out, this particular line of snacks really gets people heated.

But while some people focused on the contents of the bag, with one user on Reddit sharing: ‘I wish they would just do a bag of beetroot crisps, I stopped buying the veg crisps because they were 90% parsnips and I found them too hard for my liking,’ others explained that they’d been put off by the price.

One customer wrote: ‘I absolutely love the vegetable crisps but they keep getting more expensive and seem to be increasingly full of beetroot and grease instead of the parsnip crisps that I actually want.

‘The supermarket ones are cheaper and the same quality so I don’t feel like it’s a huge loss really. It feels planned if anything.’

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Another added: ‘They want three quid for a bag and are surprised that demand is decreasing…?’

With there still strong interest in the company’s other lines, it’s a shame that we’re having to say goodbye to the beloved beetroot crisp.

Time to try M&S’s alternative.

MORE: Are M&S’s new ‘Easter eggs of the year’ actually worth £18 each?

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MORE: Lidl just unveiled new bakery-inspired Easter eggs — including a croissant

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After six years of guiding tourists across the city’s cobbled, murky streets, York’s Deathly Dark Tours has acquired its first shop in Grape Lane.

The new building, which opened to the public earlier this month, serves as a ticket office for the tour company and stocks its spooky artefacts.

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Its guides Dr Dorian Deathly, Dafydd, Daria, Dalton and Dante celebrated the shop opening by inviting the public for a free tour.

The company provides visitors and residents of York with three specialist tours.

These include The Spookologist’s Guide to Haunted York, which tours the city streets in search of paranormal activity on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings, starting from 7pm.

Speaking about this, the company explained: “This features a blend of local history, infamous supernatural sightings and a sprinkling of paranormal science.

“Think poltergeists, orbs, funnel ghosts, residual and intelligent hauntings.”

After “six incredible years of business”, the company said it was ready to open the doors to its first brick and mortar building (Image: Newsquest)

The tour is for those aged 13 and above, but children over 10 can join tour – Murder & Mayhem – which runs at 3pm on Tuesdays through to Saturdays.

The true crime journey visits the sights, sounds, but thankfully not the smells of York in years gone by.

It features a huge dollop of history, which can be listened to on headphones provided.

A little later in the evening, The Deathly Dark Tour begins.

From 8pm each night, guides will delve into the spooky hauntings of the city’s past, sprinkling each tour in dark humour and theatrical performances.

The new shop will bring these together, with tourists getting a preview of the tour’s content when booking tickets.

Speaking about this, a spokesperson for the company said in a statement on social media: “We’re thrilled to announce that The Deathly Dark Tour Company now has a physical residence in York!

“As we celebrate six incredible years of business, we’re proud to launch our brand-new ticket office – where you can come, book your tour, check in and discover some dark treasures.”

The tour shop’s opening hours are: Monday (3pm till 8.30pm); Wednesday (3pm till 8.30pm); Friday (3pm till 8.30pm); Saturday (12pm till 8.30pm); Sunday (6.30pm till 8.30pm).

Images reportedly taken from the scene show The Fairmont Hotel on The Palm on fire this afternoon

A hotel on The Palm in Dubai is reportedly on fire after an alleged missile attack.

Images reportedly taken from the scene show The Fairmont Hotel in Dubai on fire this afternoon, the Mirror reports.

According to Sky News, Dubai’s media office has said emergency services responded to an ‘incident’ in a building in the Palm Jumeirah area. No more details have been provided.

The flames come after Donald Trump stated that the US had launched ‘major combat operations’ in Iran overnight.

US and Israeli forces attacked Iran on Saturday morning in what the two countries described as a “pre-emptive” strike against a Tehran government intent on developing nuclear weapons.

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Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, said the strikes were being carried out “to remove threats”, while witnesses in Tehran reported hearing explosions. There have been “dozens” of strikes across Iran.

The attack prompted retaliation from Iran, with missiles reported to have targeted Israel and countries across the Middle East.

People ran for cover earlier today in Dubai as a loud bang was heard near the Marina. In Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, a death was reported after debris fell on a residential area.

Britain was not involved in the strikes on Iran, and the government has advised UK nationals in some parts of the Middle East to “shelter in place”.

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Making a statement to the press on Saturday afternoon, Sir Keir said British aircraft in the region were “in the sky” as part of “co-ordinated regional defensive operations to protect our people, our interests and our allies”.

In a joint statement with the leaders of France and Germany, Sir Keir condemned Iran’s retaliation “in the strongest terms”.

The three leaders said: “Iran must refrain from indiscriminate military strikes. We urge the Iranian leadership to seek a negotiated solution. Ultimately, the Iranian people must be allowed to determine their future.”

Sir Keir’s statement comes after he chaired a meeting of the Government’s emergency Cobra committee before speaking to allies including France’s President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Saturday’s attack follows mounting tension in the region, with the US deploying a fleet of warships and aircraft to pressure Tehran.

Talks between the US and Iran regarding Tehran’s nuclear programme ended on Thursday without agreement.

On Saturday, Israeli authorities said the strikes – dubbed Operation Roaring Lion by Israel and Operation Epic Fury by the US – were intended to “thoroughly degrade the Iranian terrorist regime and to remove existential threats to Israel”.

In a video posted on his Truth Social platform, US President Donald Trump said the attacks were “a noble mission”.

He said Iran had “attempted to rebuild their nuclear programme and to continue developing long-range missiles that can now threaten our very good friends and allies in Europe, our troops stationed overseas and could soon reach the American homeland”.

Passengers have been plunged into travel chaos after the cancellation of flights between Western Europe and the Middle East after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran.

The “major combat operation” confirmed by Donald Trump on Saturday morning has had a major impact on flights in the region, as Iran and Iraq’s airspaces were closed due to the escalating action.

With missiles being launched from Israel against Iran, and retaliatory strikes from Iran, flights that would normally cross those countries are being forced to divert.

A video from the flight tracking service Flightradar24 shows the overnight stream of aircraft from the Gulf crossing northeast Iraq. But from around 6 am GMT, the pattern ends with aircraft instead flying west over Saudi Arabia.

Dubai International Airport, the biggest global hub, has suspended flights. On a typical day, around a quarter of a million passengers fly in and out of “DXB”.

The main airline, Emirates, said: “Due to multiple regional airspace closures, Emirates has temporarily suspended operations to and from Dubai.

“We apologise to customers affected by disruptions for any inconvenience caused, and we are assisting them with rebooking, refunds, or alternative travel arrangements. The safety and security of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority.”

Other airlines are affected. British Airways passenger Mike Boreham was aboard flight BA108, preparing to depart from Dubai to Heathrow, when the captain announced airspace had closed.

“We were all boarded,” he told The Independent. “The flight is completely full. About 10 minutes after the ‘boarding complete’ announcement we were told airspace is closed.”

After the closure was announced, many flights heading for Dubai returned to their starting points, including Emirates from Dublin, Turkish Airlines to Istanbul and LOT to Warsaw – which was also the landing place for the Emirates inbound flight from Seattle.

Abu Dhabi airport has closed until at least 2pm on Sunday. The home airline, Etihad, said: “All flights scheduled to depart Abu Dhabi are suspended until 2pm UAE time [10am GMT] on Sunday 1 March.

“Flights scheduled to arrive into Abu Dhabi before 2pm UAE time on Sunday 1 March will be cancelled. Services scheduled to arrive after this time are expected to operate, subject to operational conditions.

“Flights already en route to Abu Dhabi are returning to their origin airports where required.

“Affected guests are being contacted directly and are being supported with rebooking options and hotel accommodation where necessary.

“Guests connecting via Abu Dhabi should note that if their onward sector has been cancelled, they will not be permitted to board at their departure airport.”

Qatar Airways has suspended all flights to and from its hub in Doha, with flights from Birmingham, Edinburgh, Manchester, Dublin and Heathrow all returning to their starting points.

British Airways has cancelled all its Saturday flights linking London Heathrow with Amman, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Doha. In addition, flights linking London with Bahrain and Tel Aviv are grounded until 3 March.

BA passengers due to travel between London Heathrow and Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai or Tel Aviv in the coming days have the option to change their flights for free.

Virgin Atlantic has cancelled its London Heathrow-Dubai flight on Saturday and the return flight on Sunday, as well as tomorrow’s link between Heathrow and Riyadh.

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A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson told The Independent: “Due to the escalation of conflict in the Middle East, we have made the decision to temporarily avoid the airspace of Iraq, resulting in some pre-planned rerouting of our flights.

“The safety and security of our customers and people is always our top priority and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Dubai International Airport is the world’s busiest aviation hub, with dozens of flights each day to and from the UK.

Wizz Air has suspended all flights to and from Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman with immediate effect until 7 March as a result of the strikes.

A spokesperson for the Hungarian budget airline said: “The airline is closely monitoring developments and remains in ongoing contact with local and international authorities, aviation safety agencies, security authorities, and relevant governmental bodies.

“We acknowledge the disruption this may cause and appreciate the understanding of our customers. Passengers with affected bookings will be contacted directly with information regarding their options.”

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Many airlines have grounded operations to and from Tel Aviv, including Delta, United, Air France, KLM, Aegean and FlyDubai.

Until around 6am GMT on Saturday, some planes were flying over Iran, mainly on north-south routes serving Dubai and other hubs. Such flights have now ended. The extended flight paths and inevitable air traffic control congestion will cause disruption until the airspace reopens.

The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice to warn against all travel to Israel and Palestine.

In a statement on its website, it said: “Due to the threat posed by escalation in the region, we recommend against all travel to Israel and Palestine.

“On 28 February 2026, the US and Israel commenced joint military action in Iran, Israeli airspace has now closed.”

British nationals in the region are urged to take “sensible precautions”, including following advice from regional authorities, staying away from military facilities and ensuring travel documents are up to date.