PHOTOS, VIDEOS: Israel attacks Iran, flights suspended, Hungarian government introduces security protocols – UPDATED
Ahmet Dursun/Bahadır Aydemir/Anadolu News Agency
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Russian flag carrier Aeroflot on Friday announced adjustments to its flight schedule and the cancellation of certain routes, citing the closure of Iranian airspace and the need to ensure flight safety. Multiple other airlines decided to cancel flights, while some countries in the region closed airspace.
Flights suspended due to Israeli attack
Flights between Moscow and the Iranian capital Tehran have been cancelled, the airline said on Telegram. Flights to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and the Maldives capital Male will fly through Pakistani airspace instead of over Iran. Some flights will stop in the Russian city of Samara to refuel, causing delays of 1-2 hours on the way back. “These changes will stay in place until it is safe to fly over Iran again,” the air carrier added.
Azerbaijan Airlines also cancelled flights to Tel Aviv, Dubai, Tehran amid Mideast tensions. Israel evacuated Ben Gurion Airport after retaliatory drone strikes from Iran. Jordan closed airspace, halts air traffic temporarily after Israeli strikes on Iran.
A general view of Jerusalem on June 13, 2025. Photo: Mostafa Alkharouf
/Bahadır Aydemir/Anadolu News Agency
Good news: no increase radiation levels
Importantly, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed no increase in radiation levels following Israeli strikes on Iran’s Natanz nuclear site.
Israel’s attack
Israel launched a sweeping military operation against Iran early Friday, with strikes targeting its nuclear program and long-range missile capabilities, Israeli Army Radio reported. Israel declared a nationwide state of emergency and closed its airspace, diverting all flights to other countries, Hebrew-language media reported. A total of 200 Israeli planes struck Iran in its attack, the Israeli army said.
Residential areas also hit by Israeli attacks. Source: Fatemeh Bahrami
/Bahadır Aydemir/Anadolu News Agency
Saudi foreign minister holds phone call with Iranian counterpart in wake of Israeli attack
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister held a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart on Friday following an Israeli military attack on several Iranian nuclear facilities.
Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud told Iran’s Abbas Araghchi of Saudi Arabia’s condemnation of the Israeli aggression on Iranian soil and reiterated his rejection of using violence as well as the need to address disputes via dialogue.
Source: Anadolu News Agency
China warns of ‘serious consequences’ after Israeli strikes on Iran, urges de-escalation
China warned of potential “serious consequences” of Israel’s attacks on Iran Friday, opposing any violation of the country’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity. Speaking at a regular news conference, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian expressed Beijing’s “deep worry” over the attacks, according to Global Times.
Israel closes all access points to the West Bank following strike on Iran. Source: Muhammed Ali Yiğit/Kadri Suat Çelik/Anadolu News Agency
Germany called on Israel and Iran to refrain from steps that could destabilize entire region. The chief of the NATO alliance said Friday that it is “crucial” for allies, including the U.S., to work to de-escalate the situation in the Middle East following Israel’s latest attacks on Iran. “This was a unilateral action by Israel. So I think it is crucial for many allies, including the United States, to work, as we speak, to de-escalate. I know they are doing that,” he said. Türkiye condemned Israel’s strikes on Iran ‘in the strongest terms’
The UK called the Israeli airstrike on Iran ‘dangerous moment’, urging all parties to show restraint.
Hungarians in need of assistance should contact embassies in Israel, Iran, says FM Szijjártó
The Hungarian government has introduced the necessary security protocols in light of the recent Israeli attack on Iran, the foreign minister said on Friday morning, adding that Hungarians in need of assistance should contact Hungary’s embassies in Tel-Aviv and Tehran.
Péter Szijjártó said his ministry had contacted the two embassies and was informed that “staff members are well despite the circumstances” and the two embassies had introduced “the security protocols routinely applied in such situations”.
Hungary has a consular service in both countries; so far, 787 Hungarian nationals have applied for consular protection in Israel, and 14 in Iran, the ministry quoted Szijjártó as saying, in a statement.
Both countries have closed their airports, the statement said. Szijjártó also warned that further drone or missile strikes could not be ruled out, and civilian flights could be restricted in the region, asking travellers to consider those circumstances before setting off for the region in the next few days.
The Hungarian foreign ministry is monitoring developments and will take further measures if necessary, Szijjártó said.
Szijjártó holds consultations with Israeli counterpart by phone
Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó held consultations with Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa’ar over the phone on Friday, and said the government was not aware of any Hungarian citizens in trouble as a result of the crisis in the Middle East. The foreign ministry cited Szijjártó in as saying that the government was making every effort to support Hungarian citizens living or travelling in the region.
“We know of 860 Hungarian citizens in the area affected by the current military activities in the Middle East who have registered for consular protection; the majority is in Israel, while some in Jordan and Iran,” he added.
“Of course, our embassies in the region maintain an extraordinary on-call service, ready to receive calls from Hungarian citizens any time of the day. Several calls and reports have been received by our embassies in the region. Hungarian citizens have mostly asked for information about travel opportunities within the given country, and we certainly gave them the necessary information and help,” he said.
“The most important and best news in this regard is that we are not aware of any Hungarian citizen in trouble, the crisis management platform of the consular service is up and running, so we can easily contact Hungarians living in the region, and they can easily inform our offices if they get it trouble…” he added.
Szijjártó also said that he had recently received a phone call from his Israeli counterpart and briefed him on the reasons for air strikes against Iran last night, and the decision’s background.
“It had been known from various public sources that Israel viewed the nuclear programme of Iran as a very serious risk, and my Israeli counterpart told me that they now considered it justified and timely to take the steps they took early in the morning,” he added.
“I told my Israeli counterpart that Hungary had a vested interest in peace to return to the Middle East. We would like all people in the Middle East to have their right and chance to a peaceful life restored, regardless of their nationality, … religion and place of residence. We would like to see and we hope that the people of the Middle East get their lives back as soon as possible, so they do not have to fear terrorist attacks and rocket attacks every single day,” he added.
