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Good morning, everyone. The war in the Middle East, started by Israel and the U.S. On Saturday against Iran, has entered its seventh day. Here's what you may have missed while you were sleeping:

Anand said that as of today, 108,000 Canadians have now registered their presence in the region. She noted that 3,500 have asked for help in leaving.

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand is talking now in a virtual news conference with media. She just announced that the government continues working to secure flights for Canadians out of Dubai into Istanbul. The government has already secured a charter flight from Dubai to Istanbul for 180 Canadians for Saturday.

Anand said that a total of five flights from Beirut into Istanbul have included seats secured for Canadians for a total of 200 seats. They're arranged on a cost recovery basis. 

No ground transportation has been confirmed by the Canadian government, but she said she is aware that some Canadians have made their own arrangements. "I want to reiterate that any ground transportation carries significant risk," she said.

As the war rages on, the international community is calling for de-escalation. In a statement released earlier today, Volker Türk, the UN's high commissioner for human rights, said the war, started by the U.S. And Israel, has been "spreading like wildfire" to neighbouring countries. 

"The world urgently needs to see steps to content and extinguish this blaze, but instead we are only seeing more inflammatory, bellicose rhetoric. More bombings, more destruction, killings and escalation that fuels it further," he said.

European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said earlier this week that "the only lasting resolution is a diplomatic one."

"We must do everything possible to de-escalate and stop the conflict spreading," she said.

And yet, the war shows no signs of stopping. In fact, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth vaguely told reporters earlier this week that the U.S. Will decide when the war is over.

Part of Iran's strategy has been to target Gulf states and U.S. Military bases in the region. Now, Gulf states are angry that they didn't get sufficient notice of Israel and the U.S.'s joint war plans — and thus, inadequate runway to prepare for the barrage of attacks that they're now left to deal with, according to reporting from The Associated Press.

Just today, the Kuwaiti army said it's dealing with missile and drone attacks. Meanwhile, the U.A.E. Said today that it has intercepted nine ballistic missiles and 109 drones. Qatar and Saudi Arabia have also intercepted attacks. Sirens have sounded throughout the region all week, with residents receiving warnings of possible attacks.

Good morning, everyone. The war in the Middle East, started by Israel and the U.S. On Saturday against Iran, has entered its seventh day. Here's what you may have missed while you were sleeping:

Reuters

Sri Lanka escorted an Iranian naval vessel ‌to harbour and was moving 208 of its crew to a camp on Friday, two days after a U.S. Submarine sank an Iranian warship in the same area.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said his island nation had a "humanitarian responsibility" to take in the crew, as ​the U.S. And Israeli war with Iran raged.

The Sri Lankan navy identified the second Iranian ship as naval auxiliary vessel IRIS Bushehr. Two people speaking on the condition of anonymity told Reuters the ship had been experiencing engine problems.

Iranian ​sailors were seen dragging suitcases and carrying bags as they disembarked in the capital Colombo in pictures shared ⁠by the Presidential Media Division. They had medical checkups and were then moved in groups to a navy camp in Welisara, about 18 kilometres away.

Other images showed Sri ‌Lankan navy tug boats and naval vessels approaching the Bushehr, which Dissanayake earlier said would be moved to the Trincomalee harbour on the eastern coast.

The U.S. Military's Central Command released black-and-white footage early Friday of a strike on the Iranian warship IRIS Shahid Bagheri, which was shown burning after being struck twice.

"And as we speak, it's on fire," Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, told reporters.

The drone carrier is a converted container ship with a 180-metre-long runway for drones, and the ability to be deployed for months without refuelling. It was commissioned for use just over one year ago.

The Iranian military did not immediately acknowledge the attack.On Monday, Central Command's X account indicated that the U.S. Had struck the Bagheri "within hours of launching Operation Epic Fury" last weekend.

Reuters

British ‌police ​arrested four people ​on suspicion ​of ⁠Iran-related ⁠spying ‌on Friday, in relation ⁠to an ‌investigation into ​surveillance ⁠of ⁠locations linked ⁠to ⁠Jewish communities.

Reuters

Israel carried out heavy airstrikes on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut overnight after ordering its residents to leave, while the Iran-backed group warned Israelis to leave towns and villages at the frontier.

Hezbollah, ⁠in a message published in Hebrew ‌on its Telegram channel early on Friday, warned Israelis to leave towns within five kilometres of the border.

"Your military's aggression against Lebanese sovereignty and safe citizens, the destruction of civilian infrastructure and the expulsion ⁠campaign it is carrying out will not go unchallenged," Hezbollah said.

Hundreds of Canadians are still seeking help to leave the Middle East as the Trump administration signals Operation Epic Fury has only just begun. 

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