At least 52 people have been killed in middle east including one in UAE, one in Riyadh and five in Iran as Israel-US forces have started strike in Iran and counter Iranian strikes in different US bases located in different parts of the Middle East. Sources told at least 50,000 US forces now staying in 19 bases in the middle east bases are in fear of life threat.
Al Jazeera reported this information on Saturday (February 28) citing Iran”s state news agency IRNA.
Al Jazeera reported that five students at a primary school in the city of Minab, in the Hormuz province of southern Iran, were killed in an Israeli attack.
Following the joint attack by the United States and Israel, Iran has now fired missiles at US bases in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
In a statement, the ministry said that the renewed military aggression against Iran by the US and the Zionist regime is a clear violation of international law and the principles of the UN Charter. The Islamic Republic of Iran considers this aggression a clear violation of international peace and security and emphasizes that Tehran has the legitimate right to take firm measures in response.
50,000 US troops now in Middle East19 bases
The United States has maintained a military presence in the Middle East for decades. There are currently between 40,000 and 50,000 US troops deployed in at least 19 locations in the region, according to an infographic by Al Jazeera.
According to the information, for at least 15 years, there have been US-controlled bases in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Djibouti. These bases conduct air and naval operations as well as regional security operations. In addition, the US military has a presence in Syria, Iraq and Jordan at various installations. In the Gulf region, there is also a US military presence in Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. In the Eastern Mediterranean, there is also a military infrastructure around Türkiye and Cyprus. The infographic also shows that the US has important bases in strategic areas adjacent to the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, especially in Djibouti. In addition, multiple installations have been identified in Kuwait and Qatar, indicating the expansion of US military activities in the region.
According to analysts, the US maintains a long-term military presence in the Middle East for strategic reasons such as energy security, maritime security, and support for regional allies.
US-Israeli joint attack on Iran
Fears of renewed conflict in the Middle East have risen after the United States and Israel jointly launched strikes on Iran, prompting several international airlines to cancel or suspend flights across the region on Saturday (February 28). Maps from flight-tracking service FlightRadar24 showed that the airspace over Iran and Iraq was virtually empty on Saturday morning, with most commercial aircraft avoiding the airspace.
According to the latest decisions of the airlines,
Air France-KLM canceled flights to Tel Aviv, Israel, and Beirut, Lebanon, on Saturday. At the same time, KLM brought forward the decision to suspend its flights on the Amsterdam-Tel Aviv route.
Earlier on Wednesday, it was announced that flights would be suspended from Sunday. However, according to the new decision, the flight scheduled for Saturday has also been canceled. Only one flight to Tel Aviv was scheduled for Saturday. Indian private airline IndiGo said it is monitoring the latest updates on the regional situation.
Japan Airlines, the national flag carrier of Japan, canceled a flight from Tokyo”s Haneda Airport to Doha on Saturday. The return flight on March 1 was also canceled, the Nikkei reported. German airline Lufthansa said it would suspend flights to Tel Aviv, Lebanon, Beirut and Oman until March 7. Flights to Dubai on Saturday and Sunday have also been canceled. The company has also decided not to use the airspace of Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Iran until March 7.
UK-based Virgin Atlantic said it would temporarily avoid Iraqi airspace, with some flights diverted to alternative routes. Flight VS400 from London Heathrow to Dubai on Saturday was also cancelled.
Hungary-based Wizz Air has immediately suspended all flights to Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman until March 7. The company said that the flight schedule will be reviewed in line with the changing situation and new adjustments will be made if necessary.
Iran has attacked locations in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia
Following the joint attack by the United States and Israel, Iran has now fired missiles at US bases in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
CNN reported this news in a report on Saturday (February 28). The report said that Iran claimed to have launched missile attacks on four US military bases in the Middle East in response to attacks by the US and Israel.
Iran has launched missiles targeting Al Wieded Air Base in Qatar, Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates, and the US Navy”s fifth-generation aircraft carrier base in Bahrain.
The report quoted the IRGC as saying that the attack was carried out in retaliation for previous US and Israeli attacks on various Iranian cities. However, there were no immediate details about the damage or casualties in the attack.
Guardian of peace shown its true colors again: Russian
Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia”s Security Council and a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, criticized the US attack on Iran, saying that nuclear talks with Iran were just a cover-up to cover up military action.
“The guardian of peace has once again shown his true colors,” Medvedev wrote in Telegram on Saturday (February 28). He added, “The whole negotiation with Iran was a sham. No one had any doubt about it. No one really wanted to agree to anything.” The United States and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran on Saturday. In response, Iran fired missiles and drones at Israel.
All flights from Dhaka to Middle East suspended
Tehran has launched attacks targeting US installations and military forces in the Middle East in response to the US - Israeli attacks. In this situation, airline authorities of various countries have suspended or canceled flights to various countries in the Middle East. Flights to the Middle East from Dhaka have also been suspended for the time being.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines and US - Bangla operate flights from Bangladesh to several destinations in the Middle East.
According to airline sources, due to the emerging situation, it was decided to temporarily suspend the flight at around 4 pm on Saturday (February 28). However, the next decision regarding flight operations will be taken after monitoring the situation for several more hours.
