Tens of thousands flee strikes in Lebanon, some with nothing but the clothes on their back

islamic republic of iran rejects ruff’s demands to give up as state of war in Middle East intensifies

Iranian president issues apology to Gulf states but rejects Trump’s demands to surrender

Canadian evacuation flights out of Middle East start this weekend

Middle East war Day 7: Israeli jets blast Tehran, Iran targets Kuwait

Trump to Iran: 'No deal except absolute surrender'

Smokes rises over southern Beirut after Israeli strikes

Why aren't there reporters in Iran? Answering your questions about war in the Middle East

The U.S.-Israeli war in Iran is entering its second week, with no end in sight. Here's the latest: 

Israel and Iran continued to trade attacks early Saturday, with images out of Tehran showing heavy billowing smoke. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran will be "hit very hard" today. Israel's offensive in Lebanon continues, too, with attacks taking place overnight in the eastern town of Nabi Chit during a rare airborne operation that dropped Israel troops on the ground. Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and Israel have told residents on either side of the border to evacuate this morning. 

A representative for the UN Refugee Agency in Lebanon said they are seeing Lebanese residents arrive at shelters with little to nothing as Israeli airstrikes have forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes. 

Hezbollah on Monday launched missiles and drones into Israel for the first time in over a year, just days after the U.S. And Israeli attacks against Iran began. Israel retaliated with bombardment of southern Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs.

As of Saturday, the Lebanese government is sheltering around 106,000 people in almost 500 shelters across the country, but the total number of displaced people is estimated to be much higher, as others are finding temporary accommodations with friends or family, said Karolina Lindholm Billing. 

Many said they fled immediately after hearing of the evacuation orders, having lived through the previous wave of hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel in 2024, according to Lindholm Billing.

"And now when they heard that attacks were going to start again, they were so afraid," she said. 

"So they left, really, some left just with the clothes they were wearing and nothing more to get out as quickly as possible."

Because people are being forced to escape so quickly, the needs at these shelters are huge, she said. 

"And many of the people are fleeing from areas that are already quite socioeconomically disadvantaged," she said. 

"So it's not that they have money on their accounts and can just go out and buy new items. They're really dependent now on humanitarian assistance."

Iranian attacks have continued in Gulf states today — the same day Pezeshkian offered an apology to neighbouring countries.

Earlier today, Iran's army said its navy carried out drone strikes against Israel, as well as against U.S. Gathering points and bases in Kuwait and Abu Dhabi.

Meanwhile, Qatar, Bahrain and the U.A.E. Said they've had to intercept Iranian drones and missiles — about eight hours after Pezeshkian offered his apology, which reportedly caused a bit of a stir in Iran. 

Other officials have since affirmed Iran's right to self-defence, and Pezeshkian posted on X that Iran's offensive is "exclusively against targets and facilities that are the origin and source of aggressive actions against the Iranian nation."

Gulf states have become increasingly angry with the attacks they've had to endure, saying they've been forced into a conflict they didn't start.  

Today, the president of the Emirates, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, made his first public comments since Iran first launched missiles at the Gulf nation, saying that his country is "in a time of war." He made his comments during a visit with five people who were injured during strikes yesterday.

"The U.A.E. Has thick skin and bitter flesh — we are no easy prey," he said.

The U.A.E., specifically, has intercepted hundreds of drones and missiles, and at least three residents have been killed. More than 110 have been injured.

More Canadians are expected to reach Toronto's Pearson airport today on a flight from Dubai, according to The Canadian Press. 

The federal government had booked 51 seats on an Emirates flight that departed this morning.

Dubai Airports says it has resumed partial operations today, after temporarily suspending them due to safety concerns, according to an update on its website, after explosions were reported nearby.

Some flights are departing out of Dubai International (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International (DWC), but passengers are still urged not to travel to either airport unless their airline has confirmed their flight is still scheduled to depart.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian took to the airwaves and social media Saturday with a surprising apology to neighbouring nations targeted by Iran's drones and missiles. He said the armed forces had been directed to "not attack neighbouring countries unless attacked first."

What does this mean?

Let's start by identifying who Pezeshkian considers a neighbouring nation. He doesn't specify. Clearly, he's not talking about Israel though. Iran's drones and missiles have targeted Israel all day.

It may be a goodwill effort for Gulf states, such as the U.A.E., Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait, to pressure the Americans to stop the war. Those nations host important U.S. Military bases, from which the attacks are often initiated. 

Many of those nations are furious at Iran, but not exactly impressed with the Americans either.

Pezeshkian may be president, but he does not hold the main power. He is seen as a moderate, not part of the core leadership. Could this be a signal to the Americans that he becomes the contact with whom to discuss the "what after," or perhaps even a play for the leadership himself?

It may all be moot. Reuters reported that hours after the announcement, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said their drones struck a U.S. Air combat center at Al Dhafra Air Base, near Abu Dhabi, though Reuters said it could not verify the report. 

And the deputy head of Pezeshkian's office clarified the president's remarks, saying Iran's military would respond firmly to attacks from U.S. Bases in the region 

Meanwhile Trump has demanded unconditional surrender from Iran — and Pezeshkian is not offering that.

High-profile clerics in Iran are pushing for quick appointment of a new supreme leader following the assasination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the joint U.S.-Israeli military operations last week. It's unclear, however, whether it'll be possible to act fast as war continues to rage in the Middle East.

Right now, a temporary three-man council made up of Iran's president, a senior cleric and the head of the judiciary has assumed the supreme leader's role in the interim, as per Iran's constitution.

An 88-member "Assembly of Experts" is tasked with deciding the next leader.

Trump has said he intends to have a role in selecting Iran's next supreme leader, but Iran has rejected the demand. 

The Associated Press

Amid the ongoing conflict, the Israeli military says its special forces conducted an operation deep inside Lebanon in an attempt to gather information about an Israeli navigator who has been missing for nearly 40 years.

The Israeli army’s Arabic spokesperson posted on X that no evidence was found related to Israeli pilot Ron Arad, who was captured alive after his fighter jet crashed over south Lebanon in 1986.

According to Lebanon's state media, Israeli forces landed in the eastern Lebanese town of Nabi Chit late Friday and were intercepted by members of the militant Hezbollah group, triggering a gunfight that lasted until the early hours of Saturday.

Arad was believed to have been held in Nabi Chit until 1988, when he went missing.

Canadian evacuation flights out of Middle East start this weekend

The first charter flight carrying Canadians fleeing war in the Middle East leaves Dubai for Istanbul on Saturday, with more flights now being reserved. Ottawa has received 3,500 requests for evacuation assistance.

We've heard from many Canadians in the Middle East. Some are seeking an immediate way out, while others want to know their options.

Amy Nikiel lives in Qatar, which has faced numerous Iranian missile and drone attacks. She reached out to Global Affairs Canada (GAC) earlier this week to understand the process, should her family need to leave. But there's an issue: her husband was born in Qatar and holds only a Palestinian passport. Their boys, aged nine, 11, and 14, are all Canadian citizens.

Nikiel says GAC told her to reach out to Immigration officials about her husband. She went to their website, which shows a minimum wait time of 64 days for an emergency visa.

Without a clear answer on how her husband could travel with the family, she reached out to an intermediary who knows someone at the Canadian Embassy in Doha, Qatar. The response came back by text: "Is she willing to leave without the husband?"

Canada has arranged buses to travel to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — where more flight options are available. But, Nikiel says, no assistance is being offered to obtain the required Saudi visa. They are prepared to pay the necessary fees for visas and flights.

The family does not want to leave yet. But if the situation worsens and they need to leave, she wants the entire family to travel together — and she has heard nothing about how to do that.

In an early Saturday post on Truth Social, U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran will be "hit very hard." His post comes as Iran and Israel continue to exchange a barrage of strikes on Saturday. Explosions have been reported throughout Tehran, with images showing billows of smoke in the capital city.

Earlier today, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued an apology to Gulf states — which include the U.A.E., Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Iraq — who've been on the receiving end of missile and drone strikes from Iran, effectively being dragged into a conflict that they didn't start.

"I should apologize to the neighbouring countries that were attacked by Iran, on my own behalf," the president said. "From now on, they should not attack neighbouring countries or fire missiles at them, unless we are attacked by those countries. I think we should solve this through diplomacy."

Many Gulf states have U.S. Military bases, but they've reiterated that they've played no part in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.

U.S. President Donald Trump referred to Pezeshkian's apology as a "surrender" to its Middle East neighbours. Still, time will tell what it will actually means: the U.A.E. Defence Ministry said that it destroyed 15 ballistic missiles and intercepted 119 drones from Iran just today. Kuwait has also said it intercepted a drone today.

The U.S.-Israeli war in Iran is entering its second week, with no end in sight. Here's the latest: 

Israel and Iran continued to trade attacks early Saturday, with images out of Tehran showing heavy billowing smoke. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran will be "hit very hard" today. Israel's offensive in Lebanon continues, too, with attacks taking place overnight in the eastern town of Nabi Chit during a rare airborne operation that dropped Israel troops on the ground. Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and Israel have told residents on either side of the border to evacuate this morning. 

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