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After US and Israel attack Iran, airlines cancel flights
The global air travel industry was in chaos on Monday, as the war in Iran caused the closure of Middle Eastern hubs such as Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi, for a third consecutive day. This left tens and thousands of passengers stranded and thousands of flights disrupted. Global Airlines has cancelled flights in the Middle East after Israel and the United States launched'strikes' on Iran, plunging this region into a?conflict. The latest flights are listed alphabetically below. AEGEAN AIRLINES The largest airline in Greece has suspended flights between Tel Aviv, Israel and Beirut, Lebanon as well as Erbil in Iraq until March 3. AIR FRANCE - KLM Air France has cancelled flights from and to Tel Aviv, Beirut and Dubai until March 3. KLM has suspended flights from and to Tel Aviv and Dubai as well as Riyadh, Dammam and Dubai. AIR INDIA All flights to and out of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia Israel and Qatar were suspended until March 2. The airline also cancelled a few flights from and to Europe on March 2. BRITISH AIRWAYS British Airways, owned by IAG, said that customers who fly between?London to Abu Dhabi, Amman or Bahrain, Doha or Dubai, or Tel Aviv, through March 15, can change their travel date for free, if they want to arrive on or before the 29th of March. Travellers up to the 8th of March can also ask for a refund. CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS Hong Kong Airlines has announced that it will cancel all flights to and from Dubai through March 5, and suspend its flights towards Riyadh until March 3. EMIRATES Emirates has suspended all flights from and to Dubai until 11:01 GMT on March 2. ETIHAD AERWAYS The airline said that it had suspended all flights from and to its hub in Abu Dhabi until 10 am GMT on the 2nd of March. FINNAIR The Finnish airline announced on Saturday that it would suspend Doha and Dubai flights through March 6 and will temporarily avoid the airspaces of Iraq, Iran and Syria. INDIGO IndiGo, India's largest airline, has announced that it will suspend all flights using Middle Eastern airspace at least until March 2. ITA AIRWAYS ITA Airways suspended all flights to and out of Tel Aviv, and will not be using the airspace in Israel, Lebanon Jordan, Iraq, and Iran until 8 March. It has also extended its Dubai halt up to 4 March. Flights from and to Riyadh have also been halted between March 2-4. JAPAN AIRLINES Japan Airlines has suspended all Tokyo-Doha flights. It said that the suspension affected approximately 1,000 passengers on six flights scheduled between February 28 and March 3. LOT POLISH AERLINES LOT Polish Airlines announced that all flights from and to Tel Aviv have been cancelled until March 15. LUFTHANSA The German airline has suspended flights from and to Tel Aviv, Beirut and Amman until 8 March, and flights from and to Erbil, Dammam and Tehran until 4?March. MALAYSIA AIRLINES Malaysian Airlines has suspended all flights from and to Doha, Jeddah and Madinah, until March 4. NORWEGIAN AIR A spokesperson for the Nordic airline confirmed that all flights were suspended to and from Dubai up until March 4. The carrier didn't suspend flights to Tel Aviv, Israel or Beirut, Lebanon because these destinations only operate in the summer. SINGAPORE Airlines Singapore Airlines has cancelled all flights from and to Dubai until March 7. Scoot, its low-cost airline, has cancelled flights from and to Jeddah until March 7. QATAR AIRWAYS The airline said it had temporarily suspended flights from and to Doha because of the closure of Qatari aviation. TURKISH AIRLINES The airline has cancelled some flights to and from Bahrain, Dammam and Riyadh as well as Iran, Iraq and Jordan. WIZZ AIR The airline suspended flights to and from Israel until March 7. (Compiled by Josephine Mason and Jamie Freed; reporting by bureaus. Editing by Barbara Lewis and Louise Heavens. Christian Schmollinger, Matt Scuffham, and Matt Scuffham.
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China confirms one death in the Iran conflict; more than 3,000 evacuated
China's foreign ministry announced on Monday that the Iran conflict had killed one Chinese national in Tehran, the capital, and more than 3,000 people were evacuated. Its embassies, consulates, and other Chinese institutions in neighboring countries also stepped in to assist the victims. The United States and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday, killing its Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. This prompted retaliatory Iranian attacks?on Israel, and other countries including Gulf nations that host U.S. military bases. Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the ministry, told journalists at a regular briefing that work groups would be set up in neighboring countries to'receive those evacuated and help them return home. He did not, however, say how they would do so. Mao said that China had not been informed about U.S. military action against Iran in advance. She denied a report that Iran and China are close to a deal for the purchase of supersonic antiship?missiles. She said China is a major power responsible who "always?fulfilled?its?international obligations". Mao condemned the attacks on Khameini and urged all parties to stop military action immediately to prevent an escalation. Mao stated that the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of the Gulf states must be respected. China also supports efforts to improve communication between countries. Reporting by Xiuhao chen and Ryan Woo, Editing by Jacqueline Wong & Clarence Fernandez
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UK to assist its citizens in Gulf
Yvette Cooper, British Foreign Minister, said that her team was examining 'all options', including evacuating, to assist hundreds of thousands UK citizens who are fleeing Gulf countries, which have been targeted by Iran. Since the attacks on Saturday, 102,000 people in the Gulf region have registered with the UK government to show that they are present. Cooper was asked if she planned to evacuate from these countries. She replied that officials were putting in place "support systems". Sky News reported that she was "working on all possible options." "We must also acknowledge the scale of the situation and the fact that strikes are still ongoing." RAPID DEPLOYMENT TEAM Cooper added that British nationals are advised to shelter in place and follow local advice for the time being. She also wanted the airspace reopened. She said that her department sent teams for rapid deployment to the region in order to work with the travel industry. Cooper confirmed that an Iranian unmanned drone had?hit?the runway at a British Royal Air Force Base in Akrotiri, Cyprus. However, he did not provide any further details. Major Middle Eastern airports including Dubai and Abu Dhabi remained closed over the weekend after U.S.
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Shanghai stocks reach a 10-year high due to Iran conflict boosting energy and gold shares. HK falls
Shanghai stocks closed Monday at a record high, defying regional weakness in the aftermath of the Iran conflict, as investors snapped up shares in energy, gold, and defence. The expectation that Beijing would intervene to calm the markets in advance of a parliamentary meeting later this week boosted sentiment on the mainland. Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell more than 2 percent to a 2-month low. U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran killed the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and escalated geopolitical tensions. Global economic uncertainty was also heightened. The Shanghai Composite Index closed the session at 4,182.6, up 0.5%, its highest level since June 2015. China's blue chip CSI300 Index gained 0.4%. Kevin Liu is a CICC Research strategist who believes that the impact of a geopolitical war will be?fleeting'. Liu stated that the trend is not altered by this. After oil prices?soared, investors piled into Chinese energy firms, sending shares of oil giants CNOOC, PetroChina, and China Petroleum & Chemical Corp'sharply higher. The price of energy in Hong Kong has also soared. Jeff Mei said that a dramatic rise in oil prices could reduce overall risk appetite, as higher inflation would make it harder for the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) to lower rates. He said, "Investors seek out safe assets like gold during times of war." A Chinese gold index rose 7%. Defence stocks also rose. Shipping stocks grew, with shares of Nanjing Tanker and COSCO Shipping, as well as China Merchants Energy Shipping, all rising by the daily limit. Shares of Chinese airlines and?tourism companies have fallen due to?travel disruptions caused by conflict. Air China shares fell by more than 3% both in Shanghai and Hong Kong. China Southern Airlines?and China Eastern Airlines, both listed on the mainland, also saw their shares plummet. Energy was the only major sector that showed positive growth in Hong Kong. The biggest losers were the tech, healthcare and tourism sectors. Crypto ETFs listed on Hong Kong's stock exchange fell. Jeff Ko, Chief Analyst at CoinEx, said that if the conflict intensifies, gold will remain strong, while bitcoin is more vulnerable. Hong Kong is often a shock-absorbing factor, he said. While Beijing has stepped in frequently to support the onshore market, Hong Kong "often acts" as a shock-absorbing factor. Shanghai Newsroom, Kevin Buckland and Thomas Derpinghaus edited the article.
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In February, Russian pipeline gas exports to Europe fell 2.3% year-on-year.
Calculations showed that the average daily natural gas supplies from Russia's energy giant Gazprom to Europe through TurkStream, an undersea pipeline, fell by 2.3% in comparison to a year ago to 54.5 millions cubic metres in February. After Ukraine decided not to renew a 'five-year agreement with Moscow, which expired in January 2025, the only remaining transit route for Russian?gas into Europe is through Turkey. The calculations based on data from the European Gas Transmission Group Entsog revealed that total Russian gas supplies to Europe via TurkStream were 1.52 billion cubic meters last month. This is down from 1.56 billion cubic metres in February 2025. The first two months of this year saw a 4% increase in supplies to 3,26 bcm. Gazprom has not responded to a request for comment. It hasn't published its own statistics monthly since the start of 2023. According to calculations, the company's exports of gas to Europe dropped by 44% in the past year,?to only 18 bcm. This is the lowest level since the mid-1970s, following the closure the Ukrainian route. In 2018-2019, Russian gas exports to Europe reached a peak of around 180 billion cubic meters per year. (Reporting and writing by Oksana Kobieva; editing by Kira Donovan).
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China shares steady as energy and defence shares surge, offsetting airline losses; HK drops
China's equity benchmarks remained unchanged on Monday, as the Iran conflict prompted a surge in gold and energy stocks. This was offset by a decline in tourism and airline shares. The Mainland's sentiment was boosted by the expectation that Beijing would step in and stabilize?markets?ahead of an upcoming parliamentary meeting. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell by about 2%, but it is more sensitive to volatility on the global markets. U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran killed the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei over the weekend. This heightened geopolitical tensions, and exacerbated global economic uncertainty. The Shanghai Composite Index and China's CSI300 Index both saw small gains and losses in the morning session before finishing flat. Kevin Liu is a CICC Research strategist who believes that the impact of any geopolitical conflicts will be fleeting. Liu stated that "it does not change the original trend, which is determined by macro-fundamentals." After oil prices surged, investors piled into Chinese energy firms, sending shares of CNOOC, PetroChina, and China Petroleum &?Corp sharply up. Hong Kong's energy stocks also soared. Jeff Mei said that a dramatic rise in oil prices could reduce overall risk appetite, as higher inflation would make it harder for the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) to lower rates. He said, "In times of conflict, investors flock to safe-haven assets like gold." The index that tracks Chinese gold stocks rose 2%. Defence stocks also increased. Shipping stocks rose with shares of Nanjing Tanker, COSCO Shipping, and China Merchants Energy Shipping all rising. The shares of Chinese airlines and tourism companies have'slumped' due to travel disruptions caused by conflict. Air China shares fell by more than 3% both in Shanghai and Hong Kong. China Southern Airlines shares and China Eastern Airlines shares, listed on the mainland, also fell. Energy was the only major sector that showed positive growth in Hong Kong. The biggest losers were the tech, healthcare and tourism sectors. Crypto ETFs listed on Hong Kong's stock exchange fell. Jeff Ko, Chief Analyst at CoinEx, said that if the conflict intensifies, gold will remain strong, while bitcoin is expected to become?more vulnerable. Hong Kong "often acts like a shock-absorbing device" in contrast to Beijing, he said. Reporting by Shanghai Newsroom, Editing by Kevin Buckland & Thomas Derpinghaus
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Israel attacks Lebanon after Hezbollah's attacks, widening Iran Conflict
I srael has launched new airstrikes?targeting Tehran, and extended its military campaign on Monday to include attacks against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. Meanwhile, U.S. president Donald Trump indicated that the U.S. - Israeli?military attack on Iranian targets may continue for several weeks. Israel announced that it would attack sites associated with the Shi'ite Muslim militia Hezbollah in Lebanon, which is one of Tehran's main allies in the Middle East. Hezbollah had admitted to launching'missiles and drones' at Israel as a retaliation against the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Israel's military claimed to have intercepted an incoming projectile from Lebanon. Others landed in "open areas" of the country. Israel launched air strikes against the Hezbollah controlled southern suburbs in Beirut, causing more than 12 explosions to rock the Lebanese Capital. Israel also said that it had struck senior Hezbollah terrorists near Beirut. After the strikes started at 2:40 am (0040 GMT), people fled by foot and car, blocking the roads. After more than a decade of war, which left Hezbollah weakened, Israel and Lebanon agreed in 2024 to a ceasefire mediated by the United States. Hezbollah's and Israel's tit-fortat attacks have widened the conflict in the Middle East that has been raging since Saturday when the United States and Israel launched an attack on Iran, sending oil prices skyrocketing and disrupting air travel. The U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon told Lebanon's Presidency on Saturday that Israel will not escalate its attacks against Lebanon if there are no hostile actions from the Lebanese. Israeli forces warned that Hezbollah is "fully responsible" for any escalation and urged residents to leave dozens of villages located in the south and east of Lebanon. Israeli military announced late Sunday that their air force has established aerial superiority above Tehran. A wave of strikes across the capital targeted intelligence, military command centers, and security and defense centers. Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran's president, said that a leadership group composed of him, the head of the judiciary, and a member from the powerful Guardian Council temporarily assumed the role of Supreme Leader. Late on Sunday night, air raid sirens were heard across Israel. This included in Tel 'Aviv where missiles could be seen streaking through the sky. CASUALTIES OF FIRST U.S. CASUALTIES On Sunday, the first U.S. fatalities of the campaign were confirmed. Three service members died. On Sunday, two anonymous U.S. officials confirmed that three U.S. soldiers were killed at a Kuwaiti base. Trump paid tribute to the three victims as "true American Patriots", but warned there would likely be many more casualties. He said, "That's just the way it is." A prolonged military campaign could be a serious political risk to Trump's Republican Party ahead of the U.S. Midterm Elections that could determine the fate of Congress. According to an Ipsos survey conducted on Sunday, only one-fourth of Americans approve of the military operation. In a video released on Sunday, Trump promised that military strikes against Iran would continue until "all of our objectives" are met. He did not provide any specifics. He claimed that the attack had destroyed Iran's military leadership, nine Iranian navy vessels and a naval facility. The U.S. Military said that American aircraft and warships had struck more than 1,000 Iranian target since the start on major combat operations Saturday. TRUMP URGES IRANIANS REVOLT Trump urged Iran's police and military, including the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, to cease fighting. He promised immunity to those who surrendered and threatened "certain death" to those who resisted. He called on the Iranian people to rebel against the government. Trump's pre-recorded message said: "I appeal to all Iranian patriots yearning for freedom to seize the moment, be brave, bold, heroic, and take back your own country." "America is with You." Trump stated in interviews with multiple media outlets that the military campaign against Iran would continue for at least another four weeks. A White House spokesperson confirmed that top Trump administration officials would be briefing the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives and the entire membership on Tuesday. The death of Khamenei has left Iran with a power vacuum, which could lead to chaos. However, the Trump administration is yet to outline its long-term goals for the country. Trump, in a departure from his usual routine while at his Mar-a-Lago Resort in Florida did not talk to the reporters who travel with him. There were no administration officials on the Sunday political talk shows in the U.S. A person familiar with internal discussions said that the Trump administration is trying to avoid sending mixed signals while officials continue to discuss policy details. IRAN: A CHALLENGE IN ITS EXISTENCE Iran's Revolutionary Guards announced on Sunday that they had attacked three U.S. oil tankers and two UK tanks in the Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Bahrain military bases with drones and rockets. Shipping data showed that hundreds of vessels, including oil and gas tanks, were dropping anchors in nearby waters. Traders expect sharp increases in crude oil price on Monday. Air travel around the globe was severely disrupted by the continued strikes in the Middle East, which closed major Middle Eastern airports including Dubai - the busiest international hub in the world. This was one of the largest aviation disruptions in recent history. Oman's Foreign Ministry said that Abbas Araqchi, the Iranian Foreign Minister, had stated Tehran was willing to deescalate. Araqchi, however, suggested that Iran was prepared to continue fighting in a recent post on X. Khamenei's 86-year old leadership, which has been in power since 1989, when Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of Iran's Islamic Republic, died, is still not clear. Experts say that while the death of his and other Iranian leaders will be a major blow to Iran, it won't necessarily mean the end of its entrenched clerical regime or the influence of the elite Revolutionary Guards on the populace. It was still too early to predict how the Iranians would react to the changes. Redpoint Advisors' analysis of Iranian social networks suggests that the public has already begun to look beyond Khamenei as a possible successor.
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Israel attacks Lebanon after Hezbollah's attacks, widening Iran Conflict
I srael launched a new round of air strikes against Tehran on Monday and expanded its military campaign by including attacks on Hezbollah militants backed by Iran in Lebanon. Meanwhile, U.S. president Donald Trump said that the U.S. - Israeli military assault on Iranian targets could continue for several weeks. Hezbollah admitted to launching drones and missiles at Israel as a retaliation against the death of Iran's Supreme leader Ali Khamenei. Israel's military claimed to have intercepted an incoming projectile from Lebanon. Other projectiles landed in the open areas of the country. Israel carried out air strikes against the Hezbollah controlled southern suburbs in Beirut, causing more than 12 explosions to rock the Lebanese Capital. Israel also said that it had struck senior Hezbollah terrorists near Beirut. After the strikes started at 2:40 am (0040 GMT), people fled by foot and car, blocking the roads. After more than a decade of war, which left Hezbollah weakened, Israel and Lebanon agreed in 2024 to a ceasefire mediated by the United States. Hezbollah's and Israel's tit-fortat attacks have widened the conflict in the Middle East that has been raging since Saturday when the United States and Israel launched an attack on Iran, sending oil prices skyrocketing and disrupting air travel. The U.S. Ambassador told Lebanon's Presidency on Saturday that Israel will not escalate its attacks against Lebanon if there are no hostile actions from the Lebanese. The Israeli military warned that Hezbollah is "fully responsible" for any escalation and urged residents to leave dozens of villages located in the south and east of Lebanon. Israeli military announced late Sunday that their air force has established aerial superiority above Tehran and that a wave strikes in the capital have targeted intelligence, military command centers, and security and defense command centers. Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran's president, said that a leadership group composed of him, the head of the judiciary, and a member from the powerful Guardian Council temporarily assumed the role of Supreme Leader. Air raid sirens were heard throughout Israel on Sunday night, including Tel Aviv. Projectiles could be seen streaking through the night sky in Tel Aviv as Iran launched new missile barrages. CASUALTIES OF FIRST U.S. CASUALTIES On Sunday, the first U.S. fatalities of the campaign were confirmed. Three service members died. On Sunday, two anonymous U.S. officials confirmed that three U.S. soldiers were killed at a Kuwaiti base. Trump paid tribute to the three victims as "true American Patriots", but warned there would likely be many more casualties. He said, "That's just the way it is." A prolonged military campaign could be a serious political risk to Trump's Republican Party ahead of the U.S. midterms that could decide the fate of Congress. According to an Ipsos survey conducted on Sunday, only one-fourth of Americans approve?of the operation. In a video released on Sunday, Trump promised that military strikes against Iran would continue until "all of our objectives" are met. He did not provide any specifics. He claimed that the attack had destroyed Iran's military leadership, nine Iranian navy vessels and a naval facility. The U.S. Military said that American aircraft and warships had struck more than 1,000 Iranian target since the start on major combat operations Saturday. TRUMP URGES IRANIANS REVOLT Trump urged Iran's police and military, including the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, to cease fighting. He promised immunity to those who surrendered and threatened "certain death" to those who resisted. He called on the Iranian people to rebel against the government. Trump's pre-recorded message said: "I appeal to all Iranian patriots yearning for freedom to seize the moment, be brave, bold, heroic, and take back your own country." "America is with You." Trump has said in interviews with various?news outlets that the military campaign against Iran can continue for at least another four weeks. A White House spokesperson confirmed that top Trump administration officials would be briefing the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives and the entire membership on Tuesday. The death of Khamenei has left Iran with a power vacuum, which could lead to chaos. However, the Trump administration is yet to outline its long-term goals for the country. Trump did not talk to the reporters who travel with him, as he had done in previous visits to his Mar-a-Lago Resort in Florida. There were no administration officials on the Sunday political talk show in 'the U.S. Trump's administration is keen to avoid sending mixed signals, as it continues to discuss policy details within the government. IRAN: A CHALLENGE IN ITS EXISTENCE Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed on Sunday that they had attacked three U.S. oil tankers and one UK tanker in the Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Kuwait with drones and rockets. Shipping data showed hundreds of vessels, including oil and gasoline tankers, dropping anchors in nearby waters. Traders expect sharp increases in crude oil prices to occur on Monday. Air travel around the globe was severely disrupted by the continued strikes in the Middle East, which closed major airports including Dubai, the busiest international hub in the world. This is one of the largest aviation disruptions in recent history. Oman's Foreign Ministry said that Abbas Araqchi, the Iranian Foreign Minister, had stated Tehran was willing to deescalate. Araqchi, however, suggested that Iran was prepared to continue fighting in a recent post on X. Khamenei's 86-year old leadership, which has been in power since 1989, when Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of Iran's Islamic Republic, died, is still not clear. Experts have said that while his death, and the deaths of other Iranian leaders, would deal Iran a serious blow, it wouldn't necessarily mean the end of Iran’s entrenched ruling clerical class or the influence of the elite Revolutionary Guards on the populace. It was still too early to predict how the Iranians would react to the changes. Redpoint Advisors' analysis of Iranian social networks suggests that the public has already begun to look beyond Khamenei as a possible successor.
MIDEAST STOCKS - Most Gulf markets fall due to Iran's retaliation, UAE suspends trade; Saudi stocks gain
Qatar's stock exchange fell a little in early trading on Monday, and the UAE suspended trading for two days as the Gulf dealt with Iran's retaliatory drone and missile strikes. This is an early sign of the'mounting' economic disruption across the region.
Saudi Arabia's stock market recovered some of its losses from the previous session.
Israel launched new strikes on Tehran Sunday. Iran responded by firing missiles. This came a day following the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, which pushed the Middle East and global economy into greater uncertainty.
The UAE Capital Markets Authority has announced that the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADSX) and Dubai Financial Market will remain closed on March 2 and March 3. This is due to its role as a supervisory and regulating authority over the capital markets of the country.
Qatar's benchmark?index, which was closed on Sunday for a holiday, fell?3,7%. All its components also?slipped. All markets in Qatar are open Sunday through Thursday. Qatar National Bank, the Gulf's largest lender in terms of assets, dropped 3.7%.
Qatar Islamic Bank fell 5.2%, and is on track for its largest fall since August 2023. HSBC reduced its target price of the Sharia compliant lender from 29.4 riyals to?28.4 riyals.
Qatar Gas Transport, which specializes in LNG shipping, has also seen a decline of 4.1%.
Kuwait's?Index, which resumed trading on Sunday after a suspension citing "exceptional circumstance" sank by 3.3%. Kuwait Finance?House lost 2.6%.
Saudi Arabia's benchmark stock index rose 1% after a drop of more than 2%. The increase was led by the 1.5% rise in Saudi Aramco, an oil giant.
Aramco's shares rose 3.4% in the previous session, their biggest intraday increase in more than four months.
After retaliatory Iranian strikes disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices jumped by as much as 13% on Monday
Bahrain's stock index fell 0.1% while Muscat's index rose 1%.
(source: Reuters)