Middle East

Situated at the crossroads of the Middle East, Iran's nuclear ambitions have been a focal point of international scrutiny for decades. Central to this discourse is the enigmatic Ishafan facility, a cornerstone of Iran's nuclear infrastructure, shrouded in secrecy and speculation.

This decision comes after Air India resumed services to Tel Aviv on March 3 following a hiatus of nearly five months. The suspension of flights to and from Tel Aviv began on October 7, 2023, in response to a Hamas attack on the Israeli city.

Due to heavy rains and flooding, numerous flights in the UAE have been affected, with 1,244 cancellations and 41 diversions reported in two days. Air India flight from Kozhikode's Karipur airport returned with 180 passengers onboard.
 

Due to heavy rainfall and flooding in UAE, four flights from Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram to Dubai and Sharjah have been cancelled today. As many as 28 Indian flights have been cancelled to the UAE.

The Iranian onslaught, comprising over 300 armed drones and long-range missiles, faced a formidable defensive response from Israel, with the IDF reporting a staggering 99% interception rate.

Indian Embassy advises nationals to avoid unnecessary travel, calls for de-escalation in the Middle East, and provides emergency contact numbers for registration. It said that they were monitoring the situation and are in touch with Israeli authorities to ensure the safety of Indian nationals.

In the wake of Iran's recent attack on Israel, which saw the deployment of suicide drones, missiles, and rockets, tensions in the Middle East have reached a fever pitch.

India has expressed serious concern over the escalating hostilities between Iran and Israel, urging immediate de-escalation and restraint from both sides. The External Affairs Ministry emphasized the importance of returning to diplomacy to maintain peace and security in the region.

Iran launched a multifaceted attack on Israel, deploying both slow-moving drones and faster missiles, posing a challenge to Israel's airborne defence system. The attack aimed to overwhelm and confuse Israeli air defences, with reports indicating the launch of ballistic missiles by Iran.

The drones that Iran used primarily included Shahed models with suicide variants which have also been sold to Russia. Iranian drones have surveillance capabilities, but Israel is confident in its Iron Dome defence system.

Seventeen Indians are on board an Israeli-linked container ship that has been seized by the Iranian military amid heightened tensions between Iran and Israel.

Hagari's remarks, although not directly addressing a specific incident, seem to precede it, suggesting they were made earlier. He spoke about Iran's role in sponsoring terrorism across the Middle East and beyond.

Human rights advocates have also observed a global uptick in Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian bias, and antisemitism following the latest outbreak of conflict in the Middle East.

Amidst escalating concerns in the aviation world, the spectre of GPS spoofing incidents looms large, posing a grave threat to global air travel safety. Deliberate disruptions in GPS signals, encountered by commercial aircraft in the Middle East and northern Europe, have raised alarms about potential chaos and international repercussions.

As expected, Finland secured the top spot for the seventh consecutive year, reaffirming its reputation as one of the world's happiest countries. Joining Finland in the top five are Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, and Israel.