By OLIVIA CHRISTIE, NEWS REPORTER

Published: 05:55 EST, 2 March 2026 | Updated: 06:52 EST, 2 March 2026

By ELEANOR MANN, JUNIOR NEWS REPORTER

Published: 02:53 EST, 2 March 2026 | Updated: 03:53 EST, 2 March 2026

An RAF base in Cyprus was hit by a drone strike hours after Sir Keir Starmer let the US use British bases to attack Iran.

RAF Akrotiri was hit overnight by an unmanned Iranian-made Shahed drone which caused minor damage, the country’s president, Nikos Christodoulides, said on Monday morning.

There were no casualties in the blast, which took place at around midnight local time (10pm in the UK).

Non-essential staff at the base have been temporarily relocated following the attack.

An MoD spokesperson said earlier: ‘Our armed forces are responding to a suspected drone strike at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus at midnight local time.

‘Our force protection in the region is at the highest level and the base has responded to defend our people.

‘This is a live situation and further information will be provided in due course.’

The drone strike follow Sir Keir’s decision to allow the US use British military bases to attack Iranian missilesites.

The prime minister said he made the call ‘to prevent Iran firing missiles across the region… killing innocent civilians … putting British lives at risk … and hitting countries that have not been involved.’

However the Cypriot president said in a speech following the drone attack: ‘I want ⁠to be clear: Our country ‌does not ⁠participate in any way and does not intend to be part of any military operation.’

He added that the country’s forces were on ‘alert and in full operational readiness’.

The last time RAF Akrotiri was attacked was by Libyan militants in the mid-1980s.

The base has previously been used for military operations in Iraq, Syria and Yemen. 

It is understood that the UK government recently moved additional resources to its bases in Cyprus in the lead-up to war breaking out in the Middle East.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

MORE: Brits tell of terror after missiles rain down on Dubai

MORE: Lucky escape for Brit in Dubai tower after Iranian drone smashes window interrupting his cup of tea

MORE: US say strikes ‘cut the head off the snake’ but Iran vows revenge for Khamenei kill

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Explosions have taken place at a RAF base in Cyprus after it was hit by a suspected Iranian drone. 

Strong blasts were heard at the British RAF Akrotiri base in Limassol at around midnight local time after a ‘security threat’ was declared. 

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Monday announced that family members of British servicemen were evacuated from the site in the wake of the strike ‘as a precautionary measure’.

The MoD added there was minimal damage to the base after the drone attack last night, and that operations were continuing as normal. 

The base, home to around 2,000 service personnel and their families, was seemingly targeted by Iran or its proxies.

The explosions came just an hour after Sir Keir Starmer granted the US permission to launch ‘defensive’ strikes on Iranian missile sites from UK bases. 

The Ministry of Defence said the incident last night was a ‘one-way attack drone’ which hit the base, which caused minimal damage and no casualties.  

A MoD spokesperson told the Daily Mail: ‘The safety of our personnel and their families is our absolute priority.

‘As a precautionary measure we are moving family members who live at RAF Akrotiri to alternative accommodation nearby on the island of Cyprus.

‘Our base and personnel continue to operate as normal protecting the safety of Britain and our interests.’

Flight trackers identified RAF jets being scrambled to protect the base and thousands of troops and their families were ordered to take cover.

Personnel at the base were said to have been warned of a potential threat and told to ‘return to your homes and stay inside until further notice’.

A ‘security threat’ was declared at British bases in Cyprus just before midnight, according to Cyprus Mail.

Personnel were told to ‘move away from windows and take cover behind or beneath substantial, solid furniture’, and to await further instruction.

Unconfirmed video footage showed a projectile – possibly a drone or an intercepted missile – crashing on the horizon near the base. 

The attack could draw Britain deeper into the conflict that Sir Keir has been desperate to avoid. 

Large explosion in Beirut were reported in the early hours of Monday morning.

The Israeli military said it had begun striking Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah across Lebanon following a rocket and drone attack against a military base in Haifa, in northern Israel.

Huge explosions in Tehran were also reported, with smoke rising from locations across the Iranian capital.

The UK did not take part in the strikes on Iran which killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But on Sunday British fighter jets downed an Iranian drone which was headed to Qatar. 

Sir Keir Starmer has now given the US permission to launch ‘defensive’ strikes on Iranian missile sites from UK bases. 

The Prime Minister, alongside France and Germany, threatened to join the war on Iran by taking defensive action to stop the ‘appalling’ missile and drone bombardments targeting allies in the Middle East.

The decision comes after a day of conversations between Sir Keir and regional leaders, including the kings of Bahrain and Jordan, the crown prince of Kuwait, the sultan of Oman and the president of Cyprus to discuss the security situation and the UK’s defensive actions.  

On Sunday night questions were being asked about the air defence capabilities at RAF Akrotiri which is used by the RAF to launch operations across the Middle East.

At least one RAF Typhoon jet was scrambled to patrol the airspace around the Mediterranean island.

RAF Akrotiri is home of the Cyprus Operations Support Unit which provides joint support to British Forces Cyprus and operations in the region to protect the UK’s strategic interests.

It is an extremely busy Permanent Joint Operating Base that supports ongoing operations in the region as well as support for the Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus.

The military base is used as a forward mounting base for overseas operations in the Middle East and for fast jet training.    

Sir Keir claimed the UK has learned lessons from ‘the mistakes of Iraq’ and he would only allow strikes for the ‘limited specific defensive purpose’ of defending British allies.

He said it is ‘my duty to protect British lives’ from Iranian ‘scorched earth strikes’ but ruled out taking part in pre-emptive strikes.

The PM said it ‘remains the case’ the UK is not involved in strikes on Iran and will ‘not join offensive action now’.

He claimed the decision was as a result of a ‘collective self-defence’ of allies and to protect British lives from Iran’s furious bombardment across the Middle East.

The PM said the US can use the bases for the ‘specific and limited defensive purpose’ of hitting missile launch sites or storage depots in Iran.

He said the move was in accordance with international law, and the government would publish a summary of its legal advice.

In a statement on Sunday evening, Sir Keir said: ‘Our partners in the Gulf have asked us to do more to defend them and it’s my duty to protect British lives.

‘We have British jets in the air as part of coordinated defensive operations which have already successfully intercepted Iranian strikes, but the only way to stop the threat is to destroy the missiles at source, in their storage depots or the launchers which are used to fire the missiles.

‘The United States has requested permission to use British bases for that specific and limited defensive purpose.

‘We have taken the decision to accept this request to prevent Iran firing missiles across the region, killing innocent civilians, putting British lives at risk, and hitting countries that have not been involved.

‘The basis of our decision is the collective self-defence of long-standing friends and allies and protecting British lives – that is in accordance with international law and we are publishing a summary of our legal advice.’

Sir Keir’s comments followed a joint statement on Sunday night with France and Germany, which said they were ready to defend their interests in the region after the ‘indiscriminate and disproportionate’ missile attacks by Iran.

They said: ‘We will take steps to defend our interests and those of our allies in the region, potentially fire missiles and drones at their source.

‘We have agreed to work together with the US and allies in the region on this.’

None of the three countries took part in the Israeli-US strikes on Saturday.

And the drone struck down by the RAF on its way to Qatar is thought to be the first taken down by a British fighter jet since the latest outbreak of conflict.

Sir Keir added: ‘I want to be very clear. We all remember the mistakes of Iraq. And we have learned those lessons. We were not involved in the initial strikes on Iran… and we will not join offensive action now.’

But he said the UK is ‘supporting the collective self-defence of our allies and our people in the region’.

He claims it is the ‘best way to eliminate the urgent threat… and prevent the situation spiralling further.’

The PM previously said British jets were ‘in the sky’ to help defend allies in the region as Iran seeks revenge for the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader.

Earlier on Sunday, Defence Secretary John Healey said there were ‘two missiles fired in the direction of Cyprus’.

He said: ‘We don’t believe they were targeted at Cyprus, but nevertheless, it’s an example of how there is a very real and rising threat from a regime that is lashing out widely across the region, and that requires us to act’.

The UK did not participate in the strikes against Iran but F-35B fighter jets have been taking part in defensive operations from Qatar and Cyprus.

In a statement, the Ministry of Defence said: ‘On 1 March 2026, a Royal Air Force Typhoon operating from Qatar as part of the joint UK-Qatar Typhoon Squadron, successfully took out an Iranian drone heading towards Qatari territory.

‘The Typhoon jet was conducting a defensive air patrol and used an air-to-air missile to shoot down the drone, ensuring the security of Qatar’s airspace and British interests in the region.

‘Our Armed Forces are playing a vital role to protect our people, our interests and our Allies.’ 

Earlier on Sunday, Defence Secretary John Healey repeatedly dodged questions on whether Britain supports Donald Trump’s decision to launch military strikes against Iran.

He refused six times in a TV interview to say if the UK backed the US and Israeli action – or if the Government considered the action to be legal.

US allies across the Middle East including Dubai, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Abu Dhabi have been targeted by Iran with ballistic missiles and kamikaze drones.

The Iranian regime vowed to unleash its ‘most intense offensive operation in history’, with ‘force’ its enemies ‘have never experienced before’.

At least two drones have hit Dubai’s airport, the world-famous Burj Al Arab and Palm Jumeirah hotels were hit on Saturday, and further explosions echoed across the Emirates on Sunday.

In the Bahrain city of Manama, the Crowne Plaza hotel was damaged by a suicide drone, and Iranian missiles have also been hitting Tel Aviv – with at least ten people confirmed to have been killed in Israel. There has also been a death in Kuwait.

Senior regime figure Ali Larijani, who is expected to take over from the assassinated Ayatollah, led the calls to intensify revenge attacks on Israel and the West on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the government is planning to evacuate at least 94,000 Brits currently stuck in the Middle East as air spaces remain closed amid Iran’s suicide drone blitz.

In an unprecedented operation, the UK is hoping to support hundreds of thousands of British nationals in the Gulf as Iranian strikes rain down in the region, killing at least three civilians in Dubai.

The evacuation plan follows US and Israeli strikes on Iran early Saturday in what the two countries described as a ‘pre-emptive’ attack aimed at halting Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

Iran retaliated with missile attacks across the region, with Israel and Gulf states among the reported targets.

At least ten people have been killed in Israel by the Iranian strikes. Nine people were killed in a missile strike on the northern town of Beit Shemesh.

One person was killed and seven injured in an attack on Abu Dhabi’s Zayed airport, while thick black smoke has been seen rising from the Erbil Airport in Iraq. One person was also killed in Kuwait.

Officials are planning to evacuate hundreds of thousands of Britons as fires raged across the Gulf last night.

After the US air strikes on Tehran, and Iran’s suicide-drone revenge attacks on tourist hot-spots including Dubai, 94,000 British citizens have registered their contact details with the Foreign Office – many of them holiday-makers visiting the region or transiting through it.

It came as Keir Starmer agreed to a US request to use British military bases to hit Iranian missile sites.

The Prime Minister said: ‘Our partners in the Gulf have asked us to do more to defend them, and it’s my duty to protect British lives. This is in line with international law and we are publishing a summary of our legal advice.’

Sir Keir added: ‘We all remember the mistakes of Iraq and we have learned those lessons. We were not involved in the initial strikes on Iran and we will not join offensive action now. But Iran is pursuing a scorched-earth strategy so we are supporting the collective self-defence of our allies and our people in the region.’

With 94,000 already registering with the Foreign Office, hundreds of thousands are expected to follow suit, and ministers are understood to be drawing up contingency plans to evacuate them over land to Saudi Arabia from the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar.

As Iran fired missiles and drones in retaliation for the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday:

• Donald Trump said Iran’s new leadership had agreed to hold talks with him as nearly 50 senior figures in the regime – including former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – were killed in air strikes;
• Three US soldiers were killed and five injured in Iranian attacks;
• An RAF Typhoon intercepted a drone over Qatar and hundreds of personnel took defensive actions in Bahrain, Cyprus and other countries;
• Green Party leader Zack Polanski urged the Prime Minister to condemn the ‘illegal and unprovoked’ US strikes;
• Markets were braced for oil prices to surge as a result of the chaos in the region which could fuel inflation across the world;
• The Strait of Hormuz – through which a quarter of the world’s oil supplies travel – came to a standstill as 150 ships dropped anchor following attacks on tankers.

Countries across the Gulf scrambled to close their airspaces as the US and Israel launched a co-ordinated attack on Iranian targets over the weekend, followed by retaliatory drone and missile strikes across the Middle East.

Travel plans were plunged into chaos after airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait were hit, killing at least one person and injuring 11.

Nearly 6,000 flights have been cancelled globally and almost 30,000 delayed since the conflict broke out, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24. It marks one of the biggest disruptions to travel since the pandemic.

In the UK, 24 of the 56 flights that were due to depart from Heathrow to the Middle East on Saturday were cancelled.

The Government’s advice for most people in the region is to stay put. Evacuation plans will be enacted only if it becomes clear that the airspace will remain closed for a prolonged period.

The Foreign Office urged British nationals in Bahrain, Israel, Palestine, Qatar and the UAE to register online so they can be kept up to date.

‘If you are a British national in those countries, you should shelter in place and register your presence,’ it said in a post on X.

The scale of the operation is unprecedented, with the ‘register your presence’ scheme never having handled so many people.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is leading the scheme and has spoken to UK ambassadors from the region to discuss the plans.

All options are said to be on the table, including one that involves stranded Britons travelling by road to Saudi Arabia, from where they could return home.

Officials are in talks with regional airlines, including Emirates, Qatar and Etihad, to help with the evacuation. It could become the biggest mass evacuation in a generation, after several thousand British citizens were evacuated last summer after tit-for-tat missile strikes between Israel and Iran.

More than 15,000 were evacuated from Afghanistan in August 2021 after the Taliban took power.

Amanda Murdoch, 55, from the Lake District, was transiting through Dubai on her way home from New Zealand when she became stranded.

She had been visiting her eldest son and was due to meet the rest of her family in Edinburgh.

Mrs Murdoch described ‘utter carnage’ at the airport, with no announcements except for one telling people to leave the building, and boards displaying cancellations. She said there was a ‘mass exodus’ and it took her three hours to leave the airport, which was packed with thousands of people.

Her airline, Emirates, has advised passengers travelling before or on March 5 to rebook or request a refund. But Mrs Murdoch said she had been unable to contact the company, with phone lines cutting off and live chat features overwhelmed.

And while she registered with the Foreign Office, she had received no further communication from it.

Kirsty Greyling is on holiday in Dubai with her toddler and said the ‘vibe was quite fraught’.

She was sitting in a restaurant opposite Dubai’s famous Fairmont The Palm Hotel when it was hit by Iranian strikes.

They slept in the basement of their hotel overnight and were waiting to find out when they could be rebooked on a flight home on Saturday night.

‘We do feel safe inside the hotel,’ she told ITV News. 

‘We can’t go outside the hotel… you can hear the odd missile in the background.’

Judy Trotter was supposed to return to London from her Dubai holiday on Saturday, but was told all flights were cancelled.

She told the BBC: ‘I’ve met people who were very upset about their travel plans, there were thousands of people in the airport. I met people who told me they were missing funerals.’

She added a lot of passengers ‘were in transit, just passing through’ and are now stuck.

Authorities in Abu Dhabi said a drone targeting Zayed International Airport was intercepted overnight on Saturday, leading to ‘falling debris’ which killed one person and injured seven.

Across the region, flights were cancelled and airports closed. Dubai International Airport – one of the world’s busiest for international flights – halted operations after an ‘incident’ injured four staff. 

All flights from Dubai International and Dubai Al Maktoum were suspended until further notice, and airports in Doha were also closed.

Donald Trump was warned that America’s stockpile of missiles and interceptors could run dry if his war in Iran is prolonged, sources say. 

Military insiders said Trump was cautioned that an extensive, resource-draining war in Iran could put US targets at risk if Iranian missile and drone capabilities are not destroyed quickly, per the Wall Street Journal. 

The outlet cited current and former military officials who said the US missile stockpile – including air defense interceptors and Tomahawk cruise missiles – has been eaten away by conflicts with Iran and its proxies in the Middle East.

The strikes launched on Saturday started a race against time to destroy Iran’s missile force before the US runs out of interceptors to fend off retaliatory strikes, insiders warned. 

The precise size of the US missile and interceptors stockpile is classified, however the warnings over their numbers comes after the US launched a huge barrage of strikes on targets in Tehran and other Iranian cities. 

A senior official reportedly said Trump’s decision to launch strikes first was because he hoped to debilitate Iran’s ability to use its missiles and drones to hit back. 

Trump indicated in a call with the Daily Mail on Sunday that he believes the conflict could last as long as a month, and said on Truth Social on Saturday that it will ‘continue, uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary to achieve our objective of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD.’ 

The killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has thrown the conflict into chaos, with sources telling the Associated Press on Sunday that Iran’s leadership is ‘open’ to negotiations. 

With next steps uncertain, US forces said their efforts to block Iranian strikes had been largely successful, although some strikes got through defenses in neighboring nations. 

Kelly Grieco, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center think tank who used to teach at the Air Command and Staff College, told the Wall Street Journal that with more strikes and interceptions likely, the size of the US stockpile may become a factor. 

‘One of the challenges is you can deplete these really quickly,’ Greico said. ‘We’re using them faster than we can replace them.’ 

Among the most vital pieces of weaponry in the US arsenal is the Thaad antimissile system, which are stationed across the globe to monitor and track potential incoming fire. 

Military insiders said keeping stocks of the Thaad’s weaponry high is vital, with the systems also set up outside of the Middle East such as in South Korea and Guam, to deter North Korea and China. 

Replacing the military’s stocks of Patriot and Standard Missile (SM) weapons has also taken priority amid the heightened tensions in the Middle East, with only the SM-3 missiles able to intercept ballistic missiles above the Earth’s atmosphere.

The Journal reported that generals are concerned about the US stockpiles beyond just air-defense interceptors, as the US is also quickly using its supplies of Tomahawk cruise missiles and aircraft-launched weapons. 

Becca Wasser, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, told the outlet that the Trump administration has used weaponry at a high rate in the past year, including the use of long-range precision weapons against Yemen-based Houthi militants. 

‘The Trump administration has fired TLAMs (Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles) at an extraordinary rate in operations around the globe, in the Middle East against Iran and the Houthis as well as in Nigeria on Christmas Day,’ Wasser said. 

The military expert said the US will be looking at potential future wars as it chooses how to use munitions in Iran, as she cited the chance of a war with China. TLAMs are powerful missiles capable of devastating infrastructure. 

‘When we wargame, TLAMs are some of the first munitions to go within that first week of a U.S.-China conflict,’ she said.

It comes as the US Central Command said Sunday that three US servicemen had been killed in the strikes on Iran. 

In an exclusive phone interview with the Daily Mail, Trump broke his silence on the deaths and paid tribute to the victims as ‘great people.’

‘And, you know, we expect that to happen, unfortunately. Could happen continuous – it could happen again,’ Trump added. 

Trump acknowledged that the three casualties were the first in his second term, as the January capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and the June bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities were pulled off without a single American death.

‘We’ve done pretty well,’ he noted, adding, ‘But they’re great people, with outstanding records, outstanding.’

Trump also revealed a potential timeline for the war with Iran – suggesting fighting could go on for the next four weeks.

‘It’s always been a four week process. We figured it will be four weeks or so. It’s always been about a four week process so – as strong as it is, it’s a big country, it’ll take four weeks – or less,’ the President explained.

President Donald Trump broke his silence Sunday on the first US casualties of the Iran war in an exclusive phone interview with the Daily Mail. 

Three US servicemembers were killed in the fighting. They have yet to be identified publicly.

‘They’re great people,’ the President said. ‘And, you know, we expect that to happen, unfortunately. Could happen continuous – it could happen again.’

Trump acknowledged that the three casualties were the first in his second term, as the January capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and the June bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities were pulled off without a single American death.

‘We’ve done pretty well,’ he noted, adding, ‘But they’re great people, with outstanding records, outstanding.’ 

Trump also revealed a potential timeline for the war with Iran – suggesting fighting could go on for the next four weeks. 

‘It’s always been a four week process. We figured it will be four weeks or so. It’s always been about a four week process so – as strong as it is, it’s a big country, it’ll take four weeks – or less,’ the President explained. 

He said he hasn’t been surprised by any of the outcomes of the strikes thus far.

‘No, I think it’s going as per planned. You know, other that we took out their entire leadership – far, far more than what we thought. Looks like 48,’ he answered. 

The President remained opened to more talks with the Iranians, but couldn’t say if they would happen ‘soon.’ 

‘I don’t know,’ he answered. ‘They want to, they want to talk, but I said you should have talked last week not this week.’

The President spoke to the Daily Mail from his Mar-a-Lago resort, where he’s been hunkered down since ordering the strikes on Iran. 

The President suggested he would address the American people again.

His initial announcement of the Iran strikes came at 2:30 a.m. ET Saturday morning via a Truth Social post. 

‘I’m getting ready to do so,’ he answered when asked if he would give a speech or remarks on the attacks. He didn’t give specifics on timing. 

‘I’m with the generals right now, just to give a little bit of an update. So I’ll be doing that now, I’ll be doing that right after this call, as a matter of fact,’ he said.

The President said he had spoken Sunday with the leaders of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan and a ‘couple of others.’ 

Responding to the news that Saudi Arabia could launch attacks on Iran after being initially targeted, the President said, ‘they’re fighting, they’re fighting too.’  

Trump is expected back in Washington, D.C. later Sunday. 

He said his people had been in touch with the families of the deceased servicemembers.  

‘And I’ll be meeting with their families at the appropriate time,’ he said.

Trump said he’d ‘maybe’ travel out to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for the solemn dignified transfer of the troops’ remains or invite the families to the White House. 

He also remained hopeful that a democracy could grow in Iran after the US and Israeli strikes end.

‘I do,’ he answered. ‘It’ll be very interesting to watch. But a lot of things could happen and a lot of very positive things could happen.’ 

Iran claims to have struck British oil tankers with missiles leaving them ‘burning’ as the regime continues to seek revenge for the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said they hit three British and American ships in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz on Sunday – as footage showed a tanker dramatically bursting into flames.

The IRGC said: ‘In continuation of attacks on hostile enemy maritime targets, three violating tankers from the United States and Britain in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz were hit by missiles and are burning’.

The UK and the US are yet to confirm the attacks.  

Iran has told ships not to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which carries around 20 per cent of the world’s oil and gas, although a number of Iranian and Chinese vessels have continued to pass through it today. 

The halting of shipping in the strait has seen markets brace for a surge in global oil prices. 

Motorists in the UK were warned of potential ‘record prices at the pumps’ while economists predicted fragile economies could be pushed ‘closer to recession in a matter of weeks’. 

The threat of Iranian reprisal attacks saw at least 150 tankers drop anchor as shipping companies refused to sail through the 100-mile passage which is just 24 miles wide.

One tanker was left burning in the sea and its crew had to be evacuated after a suspected strike by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, and a second was reportedly ‘hit by a projectile’ off the coast of Oman causing an engine room explosion which killed a crew member.

Meanwhile, there were attacks on naval bases used by the US and a port in Dubai as part of reprisals for the American-Israeli operation which saw Ayatollah Ali Khamenei killed yesterday.

The American military warned it could not guarantee the safety of ships travelling through the Strait, where the Persian Gulf flows into the Arabian Sea.

Some 20 per cent of the world’s oil and 25 per cent of liquefied natural gas flows through the ‘vital’ passage, which Iran briefly closed off by holding live fire drills last month.

Although the sea route has not been officially blockaded by Iran, experts predict shipping may not resume for several days – threatening to send oil prices soaring.

As a result, petrol prices could soar on a scale not seen since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine four years ago.

Edmund King, president of the AA, warned the impact on fuel prices could be worse than when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, when petrol surged as high as 190p per litre. It has fallen to an around 133p.

Mr King told The Times the ‘turmoil and bombing’ in the Middle East ‘will inevitably lead to price hikes.

He said: ‘Drivers beware, within the next 10 to 12 days we could be seeing record prices at the pumps.’

Ali Vaez, director of the Iran project at the International Crisis Group, said yesterday: ‘Closure of the Strait of Hormuz would disrupt roughly a fifth of globally traded oil overnight – and prices wouldn’t just spike, they would gap violently upward on fear alone.

‘The shock would reverberate far beyond energy markets, tightening financial conditions, fuelling inflation, and pushing fragile economies closer to recession in a matter of weeks.’

Oil markets are due to open at 1am tomorrow morning after the price of Brent crude oil had already risen to US$73 (£54) on Friday, its highest level since last July.

Trading was closed over the weekend but there were reports of over-the-counter trading between private buyers at $80 (£59) per barrel.

Susannah Streeter, Chief investment Strategist at Wealth Club, said the halting of supplies on the ‘vital’ Strait could cause a ‘shock’ for financial markets ‘just as inflation appeared to be coming under control in countries like the US and the UK’.

She said: ‘Financial markets are set for another shock of volatility following fresh strikes in Iran.

‘Oil prices had already been creeping up as nerves became more frayed and they are set to shoot sharply higher given the risks of disruption to global oil supplies.’

Michael Brown, of market analysts Pepperstone, said the price of crude oil was set to rise ‘significantly higher’ – at least temporarily.

But he added: ‘It’s important to remember that geopolitical events tend not to be a trigger for durable or longer-lasting market moves in any asset.’

Kallum Pickering, chief economist at Peel Hunt, said there was ‘a risk’ the disruption to oil supplies could trigger the biggest price hikes since 2022 – ‘when you just didn’t have as much oil and gas as the day before and companies start outbidding each other’.

But he added: ‘We’re not there yet’.

He said the impact depends on how long shipping is affected with markets braced for ‘many weeks of uncertainty’.

Mr Pickering said price hikes could be mitigated by rises in oil and gas production elsewhere, also given the US and Israel ‘may avoid targeting Iran’s oil production’ due to ‘their emphasis on securing the interests of the Iranian people’.

The threat to oil and liquid natural gas tankers became apparent yesterday, after a VHF radio transmission from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

Major companies which suspended shipping include European giants MAERSK and CAM CGM, concerned about the threat of attacks from rockets, drones and mines.

This morning, at least 150 tankers including crude and liquefied natural gas vessels dropped anchor in open Gulf waters beyond the Strait of Hormuz and dozens more were stationary on the other side of the chokepoint, shipping data showed.

The tankers were clustered in open waters off the coasts of major Gulf oil producers including Iraq and Saudi Arabia as well as LNG giant Qatar, according to Reuters estimates based on ship-tracking data from the MarineTraffic platform.

Officials in Oman said the oil tanker which caught fire was attacked this morning injuring four mariners on board.

The Indian and Iranian crew of the Palau-flagged vessel, Skylight, had to be evacuated.

Separately, Al Jazeera reported that a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker, MKD VYOM, was reportedly struck by projectile off coast of Oman.

The tanker’s hull breached but no signs of pollution.

The ship’s manager, V Ships Asia, confirmed a crew member was killed in an engine room explosion and said the vessel was sailing to safe location for further inspection.

A crew member aboard one of the tankers attacked by Iran was killed in an engine room explosion, the ship’s management confirmed.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said it had ‘hit 3 U.S and UK (linked) oil tankers with missiles’ in the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz.

Video taken aboard another vessel anchored just of the UAE coast yesterday showed a rocket landing in the water 200m away.

Ports in Dubai, Oman and Bahrain have suspended operations after aerial attacks.

Iran struck the port of Duqm, Oman, which has been used by the US Navy as a logistical hub and is capable of hosting aircraft carriers.

Yesterday, Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port was ‘hit by debris from an aerial interception’ causing at least one fire.

And today, three rockets were reportedly fired – two of which were intercepted – at naval base in Abu Dhabi.

OPEC+, which includes key oil producers Saudi Arabia and Russia, today announced a greater-than-expected increase to the cartel’s oil production quotas, of 206 thousand barrels per day’.

The cartel said the move would happen in April. It did not mention the Iran conflict but cited ‘a steady global economic outlook and current healthy market fundamentals’. 

The remnants of the Iranian regime are launching widespread airstrikes targeting US allies, military bases and areas popular with Western expats – and three American troops have been confirmed dead.

Iran vowed to unleash its ‘most intense offensive operation in history’, with ‘force’ its enemies ‘have never experienced before’.

Three civilians have been killed in Dubai as Iran’s missile and suicide drone bombardment of the Middle East continues.

At least two drones hit Dubai’s airport, the world-famous Burj Al Arab and Palm Jumeirah hotels were hit yesterday, and further explosions echoed across the Emirates today.

Two further rounds of blasts echoed around Dubai this morning, with the most recent reported just before 12pm GMT.

In Manama, the capital of Bahrain, the Crowne Plaza hotel was damaged by a suicide drone, and Iranian missiles have also been hitting Tel Aviv – with at least ten people confirmed to have been killed in Israel. There has also been a death in Kuwait. 

Senior regime figure Ali Larijani, who is expected to take over from the assassinated Ayatollah, led the calls to intensify revenge attacks on Israel and the West today.

The revenge strikes follow confirmation from Iran that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed by the joint US-Israeli strikes, along with four of his family members and at least two high-level military leaders.

In the last few hours, residents of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, also reported hearing several loud bangs.

Explosions have been heard for a second day across the Middle East though most missiles and drones have been downed by air defences.

Iran claimed to have struck 27 US bases in the region, but has also hit a range of other sites including residential tower blocks and luxury hotels.

The UAE’s Ministry of Defence said that, as of this afternoon, it had shot down 152 ballistic missiles, two cruise missiles, and 506 drones. A handful of attacks have successfully breached defences and hit their mark.

Dramatic footage showed a fireball in the sky near the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, as a weapon was intercepted.

Iran also launched two missiles towards British military bases in Cyprus, Defence Secretary John Healey said this morning. However, the Cypriot government later denied that any missies had been heading towards it.

Mr Healey warned that Iranian missile commanders are ‘increasingly allowed to choose their own targets’ as Tehran loses its ‘command and control’.

This afternoon, Iran targeted one of America’s two aircraft carriers that have been dispatched to the region, the USS Abraham Lincoln.

State media declared it had been ‘struck by four ballistic missiles’. USS Central Command denied this, however, insisting the missiles ‘didn’t even come close’.

The Crowne Plaza hotel in Bahrain was engulfed in thick smoke this morning, with its owners reporting it had suffered an ‘incident’ but that all guests and staff were safe.

Bahrain’s air defences responded overnight to ‘hostile Iranian missile attacks’, intercepting at least 45 missiles and nine drones, state media reported this morning.

Separately, the US military said that three service people have been killed in action, and a further five seriously injured, as part of Operation Epic Fury – as it has coined the campaign.

An oil tanker was attacked off the coast of Musandam in Oman, according to the country’s maritime security center, injuring four people and forcing the entire 20-strong crew to evacuate.

At least ten people have been killed in Israel by the Iranian strikes. Nine people were killed in a missile strike on the northern town of Beit Shemesh, the Israeli ambulance service said today. 

A British expat has told how his apartment in Dubai was hit by an Iranian drone as the emirate comes under sustained attack by Tehran in retaliation for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death in a US-Israeli airstrike.

Iran is attacking US allies across the Middle East including Dubai, Kuwait, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait with ballistic missiles and kamikaze drones. 

Western expats in Dubai have posted numerous videos of kamikaze drones hitting famous landmarks including the Burj Al Arab hotel and the Palm Jumeirah hotel. 

One man with a British accent posted a video to social media with a commentary revealing: ‘We’ve just been hit by a drone’- adding ‘I didn’t even finish my cup of tea.’  

He added that his flat was on the 19th floor of the Warda apartment complex in Dubai. 

The block is in the south of Dubai, in Town Square, Al Yalayis 2 – 18 miles from the Burj Khalifa. 

The flats have been selling for an average of 1.3million Dirhams or nearly £275,000. 

It comes as: 

• Three US servicemen have been killed following retaliatory strikes, with another five seriously wounded
• President Donald Trump warned US will strike with ‘force never seen before’ if Tehran carries out threats of harsh retaliation.
• Senior Iranian politician Ali Larijani vowed that the US and Israel would be hit ‘with a force that they have never experienced before’ in retaliation to attacks that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader.
• Iran continued its onslaught of retaliatory strikes across the Middle East.
• Iranian strikes hit sites in Dubai for the second day in a row, as well as strikes in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Iraq.
• Strikes hit Oman for the first time today, and a tanker in the Straight of Hormuz caught on fire after it was hit by an Iranian drone strike.
• Trump and Netanyahu urged Iranians to rise up and overthrow the government.
• Defence Secretary John Healey revealed that missiles were fired towards Cyprus, narrowly missing British troops.
• The ‘Red Flag of Revenge’ was raised in Iran following the death of the Supreme Leader.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin called the killing of Khamenei a ‘cynical murder’.
• Iran launched ballistic missiles towards a US aircraft carrier, before US military confirmed they ‘did not even come close’
• It was revealed that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has also been killed in airstrikes

Three civilians have been killed in Dubai as Iran’s missile and suicide drone bombardment of the Middle East continues following the death of its Supreme Leader. 

The remnants of the Iranian regime are launching widespread airstrikes targeting US allies, military bases and areas popular with Western expats – and three American troops have been confirmed dead. 

The Iranian regime vowed to unleash its ‘most intense offensive operation in history’, with ‘force’ its enemies ‘have never experienced before’. 

At least two drones have hit Dubai’s airport, the world-famous Burj Al Arab and Palm Jumeirah hotels were hit yesterday, and further explosions echoed across the Emirates today.  

Two further rounds of blasts echoed around Dubai this morning, with the most recent reported just before 12pm GMT.

In the Bahrain city of Manama, the Crowne Plaza hotel was damaged by a suicide drone, and Iranian missiles have also been hitting Tel Aviv- with at least ten people confirmed to have been killed in Israel. There has also been a death in Kuwait.

Senior regime figure Ali Larijani, who is expected to take over from the assassinated Ayatollah, led the calls to intensify revenge attacks on Israel and the West today.

The revenge strikes follow confirmation from Iran that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed by the joint US-Israeli strikes, along with four of his family members and at least two high-level military leaders.

Celebrities such as Luisa Zissman joined a group of terrified celebrities including Petra Ecclestone and Arabella Chi sharing updates from the missile strikes in Dubai.

The TV personality, 38, is among a group of influencers and reality stars who have moved to the UAE and are keeping fans updated on the situation, after Iranian air strikes began on the famous Palm Jumeirah this weekend.

Luisa said she was having to keep her children entertained indoors after fleeing the park due to the noise of explosions.

Luisa, who is mother to Dixie, 16, Indigo, 10, and Clementine, nine, was forced to retreat to her basement in Dubai after hearing four explosions while out with her children today.     

She said: ‘So surreal and scary. I do faith that UAE defence will keep us all safe.’ 

In the last few hours, residents of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, also reported hearing several loud bangs.

Explosions have been heard for a second day across the Middle East though most missiles and drones have been downed by air defences. 

Iran claimed to have struck 27 US bases in the region, but has also hit a range of other sites including residential tower blocks and luxury hotels.

Yesterday in Dubai, Iranian suicide drones hit landmark hotel the Palm Jumeirah, injuring four people, as well as the iconic sail-shaped Burj Al Arab hotel, sparking panic among tourists.

The government of the UAE – which runs Dubai and the six other Emirate states – confirmed that three people have been killed by Iran’s strikes and 58 more injured.

The state confirmed that debris from drones intercepted by air defences had fallen onto two homes in the city, injuring two people, and also caused a fire at the major Jebel Ali port. 

Further videos overnight showed panic in a smoke-filled, debris-strewn terminal at Dubai Airport, which has been evacuated after four members of staff were injured.

A post on X read: ‘Dubai Airports confirms that a concourse at Dubai International (DXB) sustained minor damage in an incident, which was quickly contained.’

Nearly 6,000 flights have been cancelled worldwide and almost 30,000 delayed since conflict erupted across the Middle East. 

The UAE’s Ministry of Defence said that, as of this afternoon, it had shot down 152 ballistic missiles, two cruise missiles, and 506 drones. A handful of attacks have successfully breached defences and hit their mark.

Dramatic footage showed a fireball in the sky near the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, as a weapon was intercepted.

Iran also launched two missiles towards British military bases in Cyprus, Defence Secretary John Healey said this morning. However, the Cypriot government later denied that any missies had been heading towards it.

Mr Healey warned that Iranian missile commanders are ‘increasingly allowed to choose their own targets’ as Tehran loses its ‘command and control’.

This afternoon, Iran targeted one of America’s two aircraft carriers that have been dispatched to the region, the USS Abraham Lincoln.

State media declared it had been ‘struck by four ballistic missiles’. USS Central Command denied this, however, insisting the missiles ‘didn’t even come close’.

The Crowne Plaza hotel in Bahrain was engulfed in thick smoke this morning, with its owners reporting it had suffered an ‘incident’ but that all guests and staff were safe.

Bahrain’s air defences responded overnight to ‘hostile Iranian missile attacks’, intercepting at least 45 missiles and nine drones, state media reported this morning.

Separately, the US military said that three service people have been killed in action, and a further five seriously injured, as part of Operation Epic Fury – as it has coined the campaign.

An oil tanker was attacked off the coast of Musandam in Oman, according to the country’s maritime security center, injuring four people and forcing the entire 20-strong crew to evacuate.

Iran has also closed the Strait of Hormuz – one of the world’s most vital oil shipping lanes that connects the major Gulf producers, such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and the UAE, with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. At least 150 tankers are waiting to travel through it.

At least ten people have been killed in Israel by the Iranian strikes. Nine people were killed in a missile strike on the northern town of Beit Shemesh, the Israeli ambulance service said today.

One person was killed and seven injured in an attack on Abu Dhabi’s Zayed airport, while thick black smoke has been seen rising from the Erbil Airport in Iraq. One person was also killed in Kuwait.

Reports from Doha, Qatar’s capital, say that several loud explosions were heard at 7:30 this morning local time, while the government said 16 people had been injured.

The airspace over the Middle East remains almost completely empty, with most of the airports closed to all traffic. Around 20,000 flights have so far been delayed or cancelled.

The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) has warned Britons in several Middle East countries to ‘immediately shelter in place’ and to avoid travel to Israel and Palestine.

‘Remain indoors in a secure location, avoid all travel and follow instructions from the local authorities,’ it advised, adding it was ‘working around the clock’ to support British nationals affected.

Today’s continued bombardment around the Middle East comes as Iran confirmed the death of the Ayatollah after hours of denial.

Khamenei, 86, was killed in the airstrike after Israeli jets dropped 30 bombs on the Supreme Leader’s compound.

Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump were reportedly shown an image of Khamenei’s body after it was recovered from his compound.

More information emerged today about his death, with confirmation the decisive blow was dealt by the Israeli Air Force, working on intelligence from the IDF.

The IDF said today it had killed 40 ‘key’ Iranian military commanders within a minute of blitzing Khamenei’s compound.

His death comes after nearly 37 years as the Islamic Republic’s leader – sending the regime into meltdown and destabilizing the Gulf.

As well as Khamenei’s four family members, two high-level military leaders – Rear Adm. Ali Shamkhani, and commander of the IRGC Maj. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour – were also obliterated in the strikes on Saturday morning.

This morning, Iran’s deputy foreign minister said that Trump has crossed a ‘very dangerous red line’.

Saeed Khatibzadeh told CNN: ‘Of course, from a religious aspect, he was a great religious leader, so many of Shiite followers across the region and around the world are going to react to that, and this is very obvious because President Trump passed a very dangerous red line.’

Ali Larijani, currently the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council but touted as Khamenei’s successor, wrote on X: ‘Yesterday Iran fired missiles at the United States and Israel, and they did hurt.

‘Today, we will hit them with a force that they have never experience before.’

Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, appeared on state TV this afternoon to declare that the ‘country is ‘crushing enemy’s bases’.

And the so-called ‘Red Flag of Revenge’ was raised over the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad, the world’s third-largest mosque.

Iranian media reported that at least 153 girls had been killed when a primary school was struck yesterday, and that 57 people have been killed in Tehran. It said the capital has been hit by 60 attacks in 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Israel announced it had carried out a fresh wave of strikes on Iran and struck the ‘heart’ of the capital.

A statement from the IDF said: ‘For the first time since the start of Operation “Roaring Lion”, the IAF [Israeli Air Force] is striking targets that belong to the Iranian terror regime in the heart of Tehran.

‘Over the past day, the Israeli Air force conducted large-scale strikes in order to establish aerial superiority and to pave the path to Tehran.’

Israeli also claimed today that former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had been killed.

Trump, meanwhile, promised to strike Iran with ‘a force that has never been seen before’, after it boasted of the number of US bases hit.

The president posed on Truth Social: ‘Iran just stated that they are going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever hit before. THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!’

Iranian state media initially denied the Supreme Leader had been killed on Saturday but later confirmed his death, saying they would be 40 days of mourning. 

During the official announcement of Khamenei’s death on Iranian state news, the anchor wore black and stifled tears as he read a statement from the National Supreme Council. 

The Council described Khamenei as a revered religious Islamic figure, and said his ‘long dream of martyrdom became true.’ It was noted that Khamenei was killed during the month of Ramadan.

According to the statement, Iranians were mourning the leader’s death, and enemies of the country should note that ‘martyrdom will spark a massive uprising in the fight against oppressors’.

However, there have also been Iranians taking to the streets in large numbers to rejoice the decapitation of the regime that has for decades ruled over them with an iron fist.

It has been deeply unpopular among many for the way it has enforced strict religious law, clamped down violently on dissent, and made Iran a pariah on the world stage. 

There has been no official update about the resumption of American strikes in Iran today – but it was revealed that an Iranian naval ship was sunk by US military strikes yesterday. 

Prime minister Keir Starmer said yesterday that the UK was not involved in the strikes against Iran, but that RAF planes were in the sky in a ‘defensive’ capacity.

He condemned Iran’s lashing out at the region, and urged both sides to avoid ‘further escalation’.

 Elsewhere, Vladimir Putin made his first comments about the killing of the Supreme Leader, which he called a ‘cynical murder’.

The Russian president said: ‘Please accept my deep condolences in connection with the murder of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Seyed Ali Khamenei, and members of his family, committed in cynical violation of all norms of human morality and international law.’

In Pakistan, at least nine people have died during protests over Khamenei’s death. Demonstrators clashed with the authorities in Karachi, where tear gas shells and baton charges were deployed.

By PHILLIP NIETO, US POLITICAL REPORTER

Published: 10:00 EST, 1 March 2026 | Updated: 10:54 EST, 1 March 2026