Air strike hits Iraqi base hosting pro-Iran militia - AFP

Iran’s airspace was largely empty of civilian aircraft on Saturday following joint US and Israeli strikes, according to flight tracking data from Flightradar24, as several countries in the region closed their skies and major airlines canceled flights.

The United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Iraq were among countries that shut their airspace, while airlines suspended services to destinations across the Middle East amid escalating tensions.

Germany’s Lufthansa said it would suspend flights to and from Tel Aviv, Beirut and Amman through March 7, and halt flights to and from Dubai on Saturday and Sunday. Dutch carrier KLM canceled its scheduled Amsterdam-Tel Aviv flight for Saturday.

Air France said it would cancel flights to and from Tel Aviv and Beirut planned for Feb. 28. Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air suspended all flights to and from Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman until March 7.

Air Arabia said it had canceled flights to Iran, Iraq and other destinations in the region.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said on Saturday that the country’s armed forces had begun a “crushing response” after US and Israeli air operations against sites in Tehran and other cities.

In its first statement following the attacks, the council said the strikes were carried out during negotiations and accused Washington and Israel of attempting to pressure Iran through military action.

It said operations by the United States and Israel could continue in Tehran and other cities, advising citizens to remain calm and, where possible, travel to other areas to avoid potential danger.

The council said the government had made prior arrangements to ensure supplies of essential goods and urged people to avoid crowding shopping centers.

It added that schools and universities would remain closed until further notice, government offices would operate at 50% capacity, and banks would continue providing services.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday condemned US and Israeli military aggression against the Islamic Republic, accusing Washington and Israel of launching airstrikes on defense infrastructure and civilian sites in several cities.

In a statement, the ministry said the attacks constituted a “flagrant violation” of Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and breached Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.

Tehran said the strikes took place while Iran and the United States were engaged in a diplomatic process, adding that it had entered negotiations despite doubts about US and Israeli intentions in order to demonstrate its commitment to avoiding war.

“The time has come to defend the homeland,” the statement said, adding that Iran’s armed forces would respond “with full power” under what it described as its legitimate right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

The ministry called on the United Nations and the Security Council to take immediate action over what it described as a clear act of armed aggression, and urged UN member states, particularly countries in the region and members of the Non-Aligned Movement, to condemn the strikes.

Bahrain activated air-raid sirens to warn of an Iranian attack on US military bases in the Persian Gulf state, the Interior Ministry said on Saturday.

Arabic media reported that the Iranian attack had begun, with explosions heard and smoke seen in the capital Manama.

The US Defense Department named its Iran mission “Operation Epic Fury,” announcing the title in a social media post.

The post marked the first public statement from the US military since the start of the joint US-Israeli attack, and was shared by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in all capital letters alongside an American flag.