Israeli strikes hit Iran, Lebanon

Paris, Mar.7: Israeli airstrikes pounded the capitals of Iran and Lebanon as the U.S. apparently struck an Iranian drone carrier at sea, intensifying its campaign targeting the Islamic Republic's fleet of warships.

Iran launched new retaliatory attacks early Friday against neighboring countries that host U.S. forces. There were no immediate reports of casualties. The latest strikes mark a full week of attacks affecting countries across the Middle East.

The Israeli military said that the fighting has destroyed most of Iran's air defenses and missile launchers, while U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that strikes against Tehran were "about to surge dramatically."

Tehran has warned of the destruction of the Middle East's military and economic infrastructure, and the war has rattled financial markets.

Iranian state television announced a new missile attack, including the Islamic Republic firing off its larger Khorramshahr-4 missiles. 

Air China, China Southern and a few other Chinese carriers are resuming direct flights to Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.

Air China resumed a flight from Beijing to Riyadh Thursday, state media reported. China is also helping citizens evacuate from the region, saying it received a plane carrying 300 passengers from Dubai on Wednesday.

Volker Türk, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, says that "the world urgently needs to see steps to contain and extinguish this blaze."

He lamented that "instead we are only seeing more inflammatory, bellicose rhetoric, more bombings, more destruction, killings and escalation, that fuels it further."

Türk is urging the countries involved in the war "to take immediate steps to de-escalate, to give peace a chance." And he says that other countries should "call clearly on those involved to pull back."

He's also "extremely concerned" about the situation in Lebanon following Hezbollah's strikes on Israel and Israel's counterstrikes.

The Israeli military says it's conducting new strikes on Beirut. Australian Greens say country part of 'illegal war' The Australian Greens party says Australian sailors' presence aboard the U.S. submarine that torpedoed an Iranian warship made Australia "part of an illegal war."

Australia's government confirmed that three Australians were aboard a submarine that sank the Iranian frigate in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka this week, killing at least 87 people.

Sen. David Shoebridge, the influential party's defense spokesperson, told reporters on Friday: "This makes Australia obviously, clearly, unambiguously, part of an illegal war."

The Australians were aboard the boat as part of the trilateral U.S., Australian and British partnership known as AUKUS that will deliver Australia a fleet of submarines powered by U.S. nuclear technology.

The sound of explosions could be heard in Tel Aviv, Israel, after the warning about incoming missile fire from Iran, as air defense systems worked to intercept the barrage.

London police say four men have been arrested on suspicion of aiding Iran by spying on the Jewish community. The suspects, one Iranian and three dual British-Iranian nationals, have been taken into custody on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service, the Metropolitan Police said.

The force said the men, ages 22, 40, 52 and 55, were arrested at addresses in and around north London shortly after 1 a.m. The men are suspected on spying on locations and individuals.

Israeli military warns of missile fire coming from Iran

The Israeli military is warning its public about incoming missile fire from Iran. Mobile phone alerts sounded just before noon in Dubai, warning of a possible missile attack.

The Indonesian government is currently holding off on all discussions related to Trump's Board of Peace as the country focuses on the safety of Indonesian nationals in the Middle East, officials said Friday.

Yvonne Mewengkang, spokesperson for Indonesia's Foreign Affairs, said "any decision regarding Indonesia's participation in any international mechanism will be based on the principle of Indonesia's foreign policy and the most important thing, our national interests."

More than 519,000 Indonesian nationals live across the Middle East, including 329 in Iran, mostly students. Indonesia plans to begin evacuating its citizens from Iran on Friday.

3 Australian personnel were on U.S. sub that fired torpedo

Australia's government revealed on Friday that three Australian personnel were aboard a U.S. submarine that sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean this week, killing at least 87 people. The Australians were part of the trilateral US, Australian and British AUKUS training program.

Neil James, executive director of the Australian Defense Association policy think tank, says it is "reasonably rare" for Australians embedded with another nation's military to go to war against a country such as Iran that Australia wasn't at war with. James said an Australian would not have fired the torpedo that sank the Iranian ship.

South Korea says it will receive 6 million barrels of oil from UAE

South Korea says it reached an agreement with the United Arab Emirates to receive 6 million barrels of crude oil, aiming to stabilize energy prices spiked by the escalating war in the Middle East.

Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff for South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, said in a briefing Friday that the emergency supplies are intended to curb fuel costs which surged this week.

Iran launched a new wave of missiles and drones targeting Tel Aviv, Israel, on Friday morning, the semiofficial ISNA news agency reported.

South Korea's foreign minister told a legislative hearing that the United States has not requested military or non-military assistance from Seoul over the war in the Middle East, but declined to comment on reports that Washington could relocate some of its assets in South Korea to support the fighting.

When asked by a lawmaker about a media report that U.S. forces were moving some of its Patriot anti-missile defense systems to a major air base near Seoul, Cho Hyun said he couldn't confirm details related to U.S. military operations.

Cho said Seoul and Washington were maintaining close communication and that the allies' combined defense posture would not be affected by developments in the Middle East.

U.S. Forces Korea said in a statement it does not "comment on the movement, relocation, or potential repositioning of specific military capabilities or assets" for operational security reasons.

Etihad Airways to restart 'limited flight schedule' from Abu Dhabi

Etihad Airways said it is restarting a "limited flight schedule" from its hub in the United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi starting Friday.

The government-backed carrier has operated some flights in recent days, but its latest announcement suggests it is moving toward more regular operations.

Etihad said that previously booked passengers as well as new customers will be able to travel on the flights, assuming "all safety criteria are met."(AP)