The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has advised airlines to avoid the airspace of Iran and Iraq through 31 August, after a fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran collapsed into renewed strikes. The guidance also covers Lebanon, replacing an earlier bulletin that urged caution over a broader list of Gulf states.
The escalation began when the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it targeted 85 U.S. military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait with missiles and drones, prompting a U.S. retaliatory wave hitting more than 80 Iranian sites overnight. Kuwait intercepted two ballistic missiles and 13 drones without damage. Oil prices jumped more than five percent after the ceasefire's end was announced.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the new attacks complicate efforts to negotiate an end to the war, while NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called the U.S. strikes necessary. China denounced the escalation and warned against reigniting the conflict. Iran has warned of further missile strikes against Gulf states.