The US Ambassador to Israel allegedly sent a memo to embassy staff in Tel Aviv, joking that embassy members might have new children within nine months.

Staff at the embassy have been told to shelter in place due to the war with Iran, but were sent a bizarre memo by the Ambassador.

In the memo, staff were told that if ‘extended time with your spouse’ results in ‘the birth of your next child in about 9 months, I of course expect that you will want to name the little bugger after me!’

He added: ‘If it’s a girl, Michelle is a nice name too.’

One US official told the Washington Post that the memo was ‘awkward’ and ‘odd’.

The memo was sent after the US Embassy in Israel advised Americans in the country that they ‘cannot guarantee their safety’.

Shuttles are currently being offered to transport people to a border crossing with Egypt, but the Embassy added: ‘We cannot make any recommendation (for or against) the Ministry of Tourism’s shuttle.

‘If you choose to avail yourself of this option to depart, the U.S. government cannot guarantee your safety.’

Israel has been launching airstrikes against Iranian missile launchers and a nuclear research site, as Iran struck back against Israel and others, targeting US embassies and disrupting energy supplies and travel.

The American embassy in Saudi Arabia and the US consulate in the United Arab Emirates came under drone attacks.

Iran has fired dozens of ballistic missiles at Israel, although most of the incoming fire has been intercepted.

Eleven people in Israel have been killed since the conflict began.

US embassies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Lebanon said they were closed to the public.

The US State Department said early on Wednesday it had authorised non-emergency government personnel and family members to evacuate Saudi Arabia should they choose to do so due to the war.

The department previously ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and family in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.

US citizens were urged to leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries, although many were stranded because of airspace closures.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Sgt. Declan Coady had been sending his family updates from Kuwait every hour or two after the U.S. and Israel launched their military campaign against Iran, letting them know he was OK, even as Iran launched retaliatory strikes against Israel and Gulf Arab states that host U.S. armed forces.

When he hadn’t responded to messages Sunday, “most of us started to wonder,” Coady’s father, Andrew, told The Associated Press. “Your gut starts to get a feeling.”

A drone strike at a command center in Kuwait killed 20-year-old Coady of West Des Moines, Iowa, and five other members of the U.S. Army Reserve who worked in logistics and kept troops supplied with food and equipment.

The four soldiers identified Tuesday by the Pentagon also included Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; Capt. Cody Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; and Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska. Two soldiers haven’t yet been publicly identified.

“Sadly, there will likely be more, before it ends. That’s the way it is,” President Donald Trump said of the deaths.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed that the military “ensured that the maximum possible defense and maximum possible force protection was set up before we went on offense,” he said Wednesday. “The terms of this war will be set by us at every step.”

A mother of two who loved gardening

Amor was just days away from returning home to her husband and two children.

“She was almost home,” her husband, Joey Amor, said from their home Tuesday. “You don’t go to Kuwait thinking something’s going to happen, and for her to be one of the first – it hurts.”

Amor was an avid gardener who enjoyed making salsa from the peppers and tomatoes in her garden with her son, a senior in high school. She also enjoyed rollerblading and bicycling with her fourth-grade daughter.

A week before the drone attack, Amor was moved off-base to a shipping container-style building that had no defenses, her husband said.

“They were dispersing because they were in fear that the base they were on was going to get attacked and they felt it was safer in smaller groups in separate places,” he said.

He said she was working long shifts and that he last spoke to her about two hours before she was killed. He said she told him she had tripped and fallen and that they had been joking with each other about that. The fun messages stopped abruptly.

“She just never responded in the morning,” he said.

One of the youngest in his class

Coady had recently told his father he had been recommended for a promotion from specialist to sergeant, a rank he received posthumously.

He was one of the youngest people in his class, trained to troubleshoot military computer systems, but he seemed to impress his instructors, Andrew Coady said Tuesday.

“He trained hard, he worked hard, his physical fitness was important to him. He loved being a soldier,” Coady said. “He was also one of the most kindest people you would ever meet, and he would do anything and everything for anyone.”

Coady came from a close-knit family and was always calling, even if it was only for a few minutes. Coady was studying cybersecurity at Drake University in Des Moines, and he was taking online classes while in Kuwait. He wanted to become an officer.

“I still don’t fully think it’s real,” his sister Keira Coady said. “I just remember all of our conversations about what he was going to do when he came back.

A calling to serve his country

Khork was very patriotic and drawn from a young age to serving the U.S., his family said in a statement Tuesday.

He enlisted in the Army Reserve and joined Florida Southern College’s ROTC program.

“That commitment helped shape the course of his life and reflected the deep sense of duty that was always at the core of who he was,” his mother, Donna Burhans; father, James Khork; and stepmother, Stacey Khork; said in a statement.

Khork also loved history and had a degree in political science.

His family described him as “the life of the party, known for his infectious spirit, generous heart, and deep care for those who served alongside him and for everyone blessed to know him.”

One of Khork’s friends, Abbas Jaffer, posted on Facebook on Monday that he had lost the best person he had ever known.

“My best friend, best man, and brother gave his life defending our country overseas,” Jaffer said. Khork and Jaffer had been friends for more than 16 years.

A loving father and husband

Tietjens lived with his family in the Washington Terrace mobile home park in the Omaha suburb of Bellevue, Nebraska. He was married with a son, according to a Facebook page.

Tietjens earned a black belt in Philippine Combatives and Taekwondo and was “an instructor who gave his time, discipline, and leadership to others,” the Philippine Martial Arts Alliance said in a Facebook post.

On the mat and as a soldier, “he carried the same values: honor, discipline, service, and commitment to others,” the organization said.

Nebraska Gov. Gov. Pillen paid tribute to the family Tuesday.

“Noah stepped up to serve and defend the American people from foreign enemies around the world — a sacrifice we must never forget,” he wrote.

“We are holding the Tietjens family close in our hearts during this unbelievably difficult time and will keep them in our prayers,” he said.

___

Boone contributed from Boise, Idaho, and Toropin from Washington. Associated Press reporters Sarah Raza in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Ed White in Detroit; Josh Funk in Omaha, Nebraska; David Fischer in Miami and Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed to this report.

Whitby Coastguard Rescue Team say that they were called to Sandsend to assist Yorkshire Ambulance Service after a 64-year-old had slipped on sea defences.

Teams suspected that she had broken her ankle, due to the high tide and the uneven sea defences with paramedics at the scene having managed to stabilise the injury by the time that the Coastguard arrived.

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However, with limited access along the beach due to the tide coming in, the coastguard officers were tasked with helping to move the woman ro safety.

Together, they organised a plan to move the woman along the beach using a cliff rescue stretcher to reach a nearby path.

Once there, she was transferred into the ambulance carry chair, providing a safer means to reach the waiting ambulance.

The coastguard worked with Yorkshire Ambulance Service to rescue the woman (Image: Whitby Coastguard)

A spokesperson for Whitby Coastguard Rescue Team said: “Thanks to great teamwork between the ambulance crew and Coastguard Rescue Officers, the casualty was safely transferred and taken to Scarborough Hospital for further care.

“We wish the casualty a smooth and speedy recovery and hopefully a restful stay for the remainder of the holiday!

“As always, here to help our community 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Remember, If you see anyone in difficulty along the coast, cliffs or shoreline, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”

“I have never asked a question on China-related matters. As far as I am aware I have never met any Chinese businesses whilst I have been an MP, any Chinese diplomats or government employees, nor raised any concern with ministers or anyone else on behalf of, even coincidentally, Chinese interests.

BOA: BOA is a dial-and-cable closure system that replaces traditional ski boot buckles. Introduced from snowboarding, it allows precise, even tension by wrapping the boot shell or cuff around the foot and leg for a customised fit without pressure points. The Alpine H+i1 version uses a Z-shaped cable path to evenly tighten the shell, while newer designs also secure the cuff. BOA systems provide micro-adjustability, smoother closure and a more uniform hold, often making boots feel slightly softer in flex compared with traditional four-buckle designs.

Cabrio: A shell design in three pieces with an external tongue, favoured by freestylers for its smooth flex.

Canting: Canting adjusts the base angle of a ski boot to improve skier alignment. A trained boot fitter assesses stance, adds angled pads and reworks the sole to match the bindings – an advanced adjustment best left to experienced professionals.

Cuff: The upper part of the shell that wraps around the lower leg.

Cuff alignment: Adjustable cuff alignment allows boot fitters to alter boots to more appropriately match the angle of your legs. It can be done via a device on one (single) or both sides (double) of the cuffs.

Flex: Flex is a rating of how much support a boot offers. It is not standardised, but does help to give an indication of how stiff a boot is, when flexing forward. A lower figure is easier to flex forward, while a higher number will give more support and power. Adult boots range from around 60 up to 130, or even higher for some boots.

Flex adjuster: Some boots have a system for altering the flex to suit conditions. For example, stiffer on-piste, softer off-piste.

Footbed: A removable foam insert that sits inside the liner, under your foot. Most people benefit from removing this and using a footbed that has more support and structure. These can be pre-shaped, such as most Superfeet footbeds, or they can be custom moulded.

Last width: Last width is measured across the forefoot and indicates fit. Up to 105mm is generous, less than 99mm is narrow. This ‘last’ figure a brand quotes is typically for a size 26/26.5MP boot.

Liner: Also called inner boots, liners are the padded sections that surround the foot, ankle and leg, providing comfort, warmth and a personalised fit. Options include aftermarket models like Foam Injected, Intuition and ZipFit liners, which use materials such as foam, closed-cell foam or cork mixtures to deliver varying levels of precision, customisation and durability.

Mondopoint (MP): Mondopoint (MP) is the ski boot sizing system based on foot length in centimetres rather than shoe size, so accurate measurement is essential. Most brands pair half sizes (for example, 26.0 and 26.5 MP) as the same shell length, though exceptions like Scarpa use a reversed system.

ROM: This stands for Range Of Motion and is how much movement you get in the cuff of a boot when in tour mode.

Shell: The plastic outer part of boots, which is often heat-mouldable to improve fit. The term shell more specifically relates to the plastic outer around the foot and ankle, as opposed to the cuff which fits around the leg and ankle.

Sole: This is the bottom section of the boot; the part that rests on the floor and interfaces with the binding.

Thermo-moulding: Heat customisation of liners or shells. The whole thing may not be mouldable. All ski boot outers can be heat moulded to some degree. When we’ve rated them as heat mouldable, in the bullet points for the boots, it’s because they’ve been designed to be put in an oven and the whole shell heated. Nordica does it a different way and uses their own Infrared heating system.

Tour/walk mode: A connector, usually on the rear of the boot, that can be released to allow greater fore and aft movement in the cuff when hiking or skinning. This can then be switched to securely connect to the cuff and lower shell for skiing.

Tongue: The part of the boot that sits in front of the shin. Both the liner and shell can have a tongue.

Amid the escalating Middle East conflict, Wizz Air has issued an update and confirmed that it has extended its cancellation period for four of its destinations

Wizz Air has issued a major update for four destinations and has extended its flight cancellations.

The conflict in the Middle East has caused significant travel disruptions for airlines, with thousands of flights cancelled as the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) warns against travel to parts of the region. Tensions remain high following the US-Israeli strikes on Iran that began over the weekend, with further attacks being carried out.

As the conflict escalates, Wizz Air has confirmed that it is suspending all flights to and from Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman up to and including Sunday, 15 March. They had originally planned to cancel these flights until 7 March, but as the conflict shows no signs of slowing, they have extended the cancellation period.

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A Wizz Air spokesperson confirmed: “Wizz Air confirms that, following the recent escalation of the security situation in Iran, the airline is suspending all flights to and from Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Amman up to and including 15 March, pending structural schedule changes reflecting reduced demand. Flights to and from Saudi Arabia will resume as planned from 8 March inclusive.

“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. Operational decisions will continue to be reviewed, and the flight schedule may be adjusted as the situation evolves.

“The safety and security of our passengers, crew and aircraft remain Wizz Air’s highest priority. 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.”

The extension comes just a few days after Wizz Air first announced that it had suspended all flights to Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman. Wizz Air joins other major airlines that have cancelled or amended hundreds of flights to parts of the Middle East amid the chaos.

Wizz Air, which has been working hard to ensure passenger safety, confirmed that flights to and from Saudi Arabia will recommence as planned from 8 March. In a bid to support passengers who need to travel to or from Israel, Wizz Air is planning to add flights to Sharm El Sheikh (SSH) from various European airports.

If approved, the extra flights, which will provide a connection between Israel and Europe, will begin on Friday, 6 March. They will be as follows:

• Budapest (BUD): from 3 to 10 weekly flights
• Rome Fiumicino (FCO): from 11 to 18 weekly flights
• London Luton (LTN): from 4 to 8 weekly flights
• Milan Malpensa (MXP): from 6 to 11 weekly flights
• Sofia (SOF): from 0 to 3 weekly flights

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Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

The US and Israel have carried out strikes on Iran for a fourth day after launching an operation which killed its supreme leader.

With no clear end in sight to hostilities, Sky News has mapped the assaults on both sides – and the military assets at play in the region.

A regional conflict

The US began Operation Epic Fury with a series of strikes on Saturday morning, killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in his Tehran compound.

Zoom in to explore strike locations in satellite maps

Israel joined the assault, killing dozens of top Iranian military officials in more than 100 aerial strikes in three days.

“Preliminary analysis shows that the United States and Israel used a variety of precision guided munitions to strike Iran,” Nic Jenzen Jones, director at Armament Research Services (ARES) said.

“These included air-delivered weapons such as the AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW), Blue Sparrow-series air-launched ballistic missiles, and various 500-, 1,000- and 2,000-pound-class bombs.”

He added: “In addition, surface-to-surface missiles were also fired, including sea-based Tomahawk-series missiles and the land-based Precision Strike Missile (PrSm).”

Iran is continuing to retaliate, launching drones and missiles targeting Israel, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Jordan, Oman and Qatar.

The US has confirmed the deaths of six service members, while an RAF base in Cyprus was also targeted in a drone strike.

How far can Iran strike?

Iran’s drone attack on RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus was a demonstration of its capabilities.

Its longest-range missile, the Sajjil, has a similar maximum range of up to 2,000km (1,240 miles), according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a defence thinktank.

That’s far enough to hit Moscow or Athens, though still well short of giving Iran the ability to strike the UK.

The UK’s base in Cyprus is well within range of not only the Sajjil, but also Iran’s Ghadr and Emad-1 missiles.

Fighter jets and airbases

Sky News’ Data and Forensics team has plotted US and UK air bases in the Middle East and Europe that can be used to launch attacks on Iran.

Flight tracking data shows the paths taken by 47 US military cargo and refuelling planes over recent days as they made their way to and from the Middle East.

At least 15 of the planes passed through British bases, including four through Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

The site has been in the headlines over recent months, with Donald Trump criticising the UK’s plans to cede control of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.

The Iran conflict has highlighted the strategic importance of the joint US-UK military base, with Sir Keir Starmer initially refusing permission for it to be used by the US to launch strikes on Tehran.

Satellite imagery captured over the base on Sunday morning shows at least 14 planes stationed next to the runway, including six F-16 fighter jets and two P-8 Poseidon maritime spy planes.

The rest are transport aircraft, including a C-5 Galaxy and three KC-135 Stratotankers, analysts at Jane’s Defence Weekly told Sky News.

The C-5 is the largest transport aircraft in the US arsenal, capable of transporting military vehicles and even fighter jets.

Analysts at Jane’s Defence Weekly said the UK does not operate any of the aircraft models visible in the satellite imagery, except for the P-8 Poseidon.

As planes head to the Middle East, America’s air bases in Germany have been significantly emptied.

While 161 planes have landed at Spangdahlem and Ramstein air bases since 23 February, at least 246 have departed – an overall decrease of 52.

Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar has also significantly emptied, 20 more planes leaving than arriving. The base was an anticipated target of Iranian counterattacks.

Planes have been accumulating, meanwhile, at bases in Kuwait, Israel and Jordan.

Iranian sea power targeted

The aftermath of strikes is visible on satellite imagery at two Iranian naval bases.

Fires can be seen at the military harbour at Bandar Abbas, which is the main headquarters of the Iranian Navy, and oversees the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

A burning ship, the Makran, is also visible in the image.

It is unclear from the imagery how much damage the vessel has sustained, but as the ship is Iran’s largest naval vessel and serves as a floating base, if it is inoperable this will be a blow to the naval capabilities of the regime.

The Makran is one of six Iranian ships Sky News has tracked using data from TankerTrackers, situated by Qeshm island in the strait of Hormuz.

The ships have been seen on satellite imagery on three recent dates, most recently 2 March.

Smoke can also be seen at dock of the Konarak Naval Base, which is also on the southern coast of Iran.

Strikes have also been reported at two other navy installations.

Sky News has mapped the facilities of the Iranian Navy, which are concentrated near the key Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait of Hormuz, between Iran and Oman, is a strategically vital waterway for Iran and other oil producers in the Middle East.

US naval assets

At least three US military ships are thought to be in the Persian Gulf, and 12 around the Middle East and Mediterranean.

The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln was seen under 200km (124 miles) from the coast of Oman on 25 February.

It was accompanied by an unknown ship measuring over 200 metres and was potentially used for replenishing or drills.

The largest aircraft carrier in the US naval fleet, the USS Gerald R Ford, was last seen on satellite imagery on 27 February in the Mediterranean Sea, just under 400km (248 miles) from the coast of Cyprus.

It was reportedly travelling with three US destroyers, capable of carrying more than 6,000 personnel in total.

Maps created by data journalist Alicja Hagopian, digital investigations journalists Ben van der Merwe and Sophia Massam, and OSINT producers Freya Gibson and Lydia Morrish. Copy editing and production by Adam Parris-Long, assistant editor and Natasha Muktarsingh, forensic journalism editor.

The Data x Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open source information. Through multimedia storytelling we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.

A man suffered bleeding on the brain and was in a medical-induced coma for eight hours as doctors fought to save his life.

An assault victim nearly died after he was battered on the head with a hammer in Larkhall.

William Macaulay’s victim suffered bleeding on the brain and was in a medical-induced coma for eight hours as doctors fought to save his life.

Macaulay, 38, was jailed for two years and eight months at Hamilton Sheriff Court.

He admitted assaulting the man to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and the danger of his life.

It happened in Hawick Crescent, near Macaulay’s home, shortly before midnight on July 19.

Katie Allen, prosecuting, said the men were known to each other but had fallen out.

The victim and a woman went to Macaulay’s home and the men challenged each other to fight.

Ms Allen told the court: “The accused ran towards [the victim], shouting.

“He was in possession of a hammer and struck [the victim] on the head with it before running away.

“Residents in the street heard the disturbance and saw the complainer lying on the ground.

“He had head injuries and was struggling to breathe.

“He was taken to hospital and his condition was said to be life-threatening.

“He had numerous wounds to his head and a fractured eye socket.

“There was a significant risk of death due to complicated brain injuries.”

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Defence solicitor Ian Brechany said Macaulay saw the victim with two bottles and went into his house to get the hammer “for protection”.

Mr Brechany stated: “He accepts he swung the hammer but it was not his intention to strike him on the head.

“Dreadful injuries were sustained and it could all have been avoided if my client hadn’t gone out of the house.

“His previous convictions do him no credit. He is a persistent offender.”

Jailing Macaulay, Sheriff John Speir told him: “It’s fortunate this didn’t result in the complainer’s death. You have a bad record.”

The 32-month sentence was backdated as Macaulay has been in custody since his arrest in July.

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“Fluting continues to evolve as a sophisticated design detail in interiors and is appreciated for the way it introduces texture and movement into a space,” explains Bo Hellberg, CMO at Scandinavian brand String Furniture. “In 2026, its appeal lies in subtlety with soft vertical lines that catch the light, add depth and gently break up flat surfaces.” He adds: “Rooted in Greek architecture and Mid-Century design, fluting now feels quite contemporary, bringing warmth and tactility to clean and minimal interiors.”