Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 27th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has formally condemned the operation in a letter to the United Nations, describing the assassination as an "unjustified act of aggression" and a blatant violation of international law. As Tehran declares a 40-day mourning period and vows that it will not negotiate with Washington, Iranian armed forces have launched a wave of retaliatory missile and drone attacks targeting U.S. and Israeli interests across the Middle East, escalating fears of a widespread regional conflict.
The Israeli military launched heavy airstrikes on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut on Monday, ordering residents of dozens of Lebanese villages to evacuate from the area amid the most intensive bombardment of the capital since 2024. The escalation follows a barrage of missiles and drones fired by the Iran-backed militant group into Israel, with Hezbollah stating the assault was a direct retaliation for the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has confirmed that the UK has granted the United States permission to use British military bases in southern Cyprus for "specific and limited" defensive operations to intercept Iranian missiles aimed at allied targets. Starmer stressed that Britain was not involved in the offensive strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader. He said the decision follows a suspected drone attack on the RAF Akrotiri base in southern Cyprus, which caused limited damage and prompted the temporary dispersal of non-essential personnel.
Türkiye has raised the security level for its flagged vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz to Level 3, following explicit radio warnings from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that "no ship is allowed to pass" the critical waterway. The heightened maritime alert, issued in the wake of the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes and the confirmation of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s death, has prompted major carriers to suspend transits and insurers to cancel war risk cover, threatening to severely disrupt global oil and LNG shipments through a chokepoint that handles approximately 20% of the world's crude flows.
Tens of thousands of passengers remain stranded as major Gulf aviation hubs, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha, stayed closed or heavily restricted for a third consecutive day following the escalation of the Iran-U.S. conflict. The unprecedented disruption to one of the world's most vital transit corridors has forced major carriers such as Emirates, British Airways, and Lufthansa to cancel or drastically reroute flights, with experts warning that the logistical fallout and subsequent strain on international travel networks could take weeks to fully resolve.
Iran has been at the centre of a rapidly escalating regional crisis since Saturday, when U.S. and Israeli military strikes hit Tehran. Th...
Israel carried out heavy airstrikes on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut on Monday (2 March), af...
AnewZ spoke to Middle East expert Kevan Gafaïti at Sciences Po Paris to explain why Iran’s Islamic Republic, backed by decades of instit...
China expressed serious concern over the escalating conflict in Iran, confirming that one Chinese national was killed in Tehran. Bei...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stori...
Iran has been at the centre of a rapidly escalating regional crisis since Saturday, when U.S. and Israeli military strikes hit Tehran. The attack prompted retaliatory strikes by Tehran across the Middle East, civillian casualties, maritime disruptions and international diplomatic responses.
AnewZ spoke to Middle East expert Kevan Gafaïti at Sciences Po Paris to explain why Iran’s Islamic Republic, backed by decades of institutional strength and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), is far more resilient than many believe and unlikely to crumble under strikes.
China expressed serious concern over the escalating conflict in Iran, confirming that one Chinese national was killed in Tehran. Beijing called for an immediate halt to military operations and a return to diplomatic talks, while other Asian countries have also voiced their positions on the crisis.
Several marine insurers said they are cancelling war risk cover for ships due to the conflict in Iran and the Gulf. Insurers including Gard, Skuld, NorthStandard, the London P&I Club and the American Club said their cancellations will take effect from 5 March.
Follow the latest developments and global reaction after the U.S. and Israel launched “major combat operations” in Iran, prompting retaliation from Tehran.
Ayatollah Alireza Arafi has moved into a pivotal constitutional role following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, becoming the clerical member of Iran’s temporary leadership council under Article 111 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Governments across the region responded swiftly to Israel’s strikes on Iran, closing airspace, issuing travel advisories and activating contingency plans amid fears of escalation.
A senior Iranian official has warned Israel to “prepare for what is coming”, insisting that Tehran’s response to the latest escalation in the Middle East will be made openly and without limits.
The United States and Israel have carried out large-scale strikes on Iranian leadership and military targets, with Iranian state media confirming that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed.
The UK said it's allowing the U.S. to use its bases for defensive strikes against Iran amid escalating missile attacks, after a suspected drone strike hit a British airbase in southern Cyprus, causing limited damage.
Protests broke out in Pakistan and Iraq on Sunday after Iranian state media confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed in joint U.S.–Israeli strikes. At least nine people were reported dead in clashes near the U.S. consulate in Karachi.
Afghanistan said it had fired at Pakistani aircraft over Kabul after explosions and gunfire rocked the capital early on Sunday, marking a sharp escalation in fighting between the two neighbours.
A senior Iranian official has warned Israel to “prepare for what is coming”, insisting that Tehran’s response to the latest escalation in the Middle East will be made openly and without limits.
Cuba has released extensive details of a deadly midweek shootout at sea, showing rifles, pistols and nearly 13,000 rounds of ammunition that it says were carried by a group of exiles who attempted to enter the island by speedboat.
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