This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/21/united-airlines-halts-some-flights-mumbai-to-avoid-iran-after-drone-attack
The article has changed 17 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Donald Trump 'cancelled Iran strikes with planes in the air' | Donald Trump 'cancelled Iran strikes with planes in the air' |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Donald Trump reportedly gave initial approval for the military to launch strikes on Iran in retaliation for Tehran shooting down a US drone, before pulling back at the last minute. | Donald Trump reportedly gave initial approval for the military to launch strikes on Iran in retaliation for Tehran shooting down a US drone, before pulling back at the last minute. |
| Planes were in the air and ships were in position, but no missiles had been fired when word came to stand down on Thursday night, the New York Times quoted an unnamed official as saying. | Planes were in the air and ships were in position, but no missiles had been fired when word came to stand down on Thursday night, the New York Times quoted an unnamed official as saying. |
| US military and diplomatic officials were expecting strikes on a handful of radar and missile sites after the president’s top national security officials and congressional leaders gathered at the White House, the paper said. The military operation was called off around 7.30 pm ET (12.30am BST). | US military and diplomatic officials were expecting strikes on a handful of radar and missile sites after the president’s top national security officials and congressional leaders gathered at the White House, the paper said. The military operation was called off around 7.30 pm ET (12.30am BST). |
| It was not clear if strikes would go ahead at a later date. The White House and Pentagon have not commented on the reports. | It was not clear if strikes would go ahead at a later date. The White House and Pentagon have not commented on the reports. |
| On Friday Reuters reported that Trump had passed a message to Tehran via Oman warning an attack on Iran was imminent. | On Friday Reuters reported that Trump had passed a message to Tehran via Oman warning an attack on Iran was imminent. |
| “In his message, Trump said he was against any war with Iran and wanted to talk to Tehran about various issues,” an anonymous Iranian official told the news agency. “He gave a short period of time to get our response but Iran’s immediate response was that it is up to Supreme Leader [Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei to decide about this issue.” | “In his message, Trump said he was against any war with Iran and wanted to talk to Tehran about various issues,” an anonymous Iranian official told the news agency. “He gave a short period of time to get our response but Iran’s immediate response was that it is up to Supreme Leader [Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei to decide about this issue.” |
| A second Iranian official said: “We made it clear that the leader is against any talks, but the message will be conveyed to him to make a decision ... However, we told the Omani official that any attack against Iran will have regional and international consequences.” | A second Iranian official said: “We made it clear that the leader is against any talks, but the message will be conveyed to him to make a decision ... However, we told the Omani official that any attack against Iran will have regional and international consequences.” |
| Tensions between the US and Iran have soared, with Washington dispatching warships to the Gulf, and Tehran threatening to resume higher uranium enrichment. | |
| John Bolton announces the deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group and a bomber task force in response to 'a number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings'. | |
| Iran vows to enrich its uranium stockpile closer to weapons-grade levels if world powers fail to negotiate new terms for its nuclear deal. The US responds by imposing sanctions on Iran's metals industry. | |
| The EU urges Iran to respect the nuclear deal and says it plans to continue trading with the country despite US sanctions. | |
| The US says it will move a Patriot missile battery into the Middle East to counter threats from Iran. | |
| The UAE says four commercial ships off its eastern coast 'were subjected to sabotage operations'. | |
| Yemen's Houthi rebels launch a drone attack on Saudi Arabia, striking a major oil pipeline and taking it out of service. | |
| Saudi Arabia blames Iran for the drone attack on its pipeline. | |
| A rocket lands near the US embassy in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, without harming anyone. It's not clear who is behind the attack, but after the initial reports, Donald Trump tweets: 'If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!' | |
| Semi-official media in Iran report it has quadrupled production of the low-enriched uranium used for civilian applications. Iran is allowed to enrich uranium, but increased production could lead it to exceed the stockpile limits in the nuclear deal. | |
| Senior Pentagon officer Vice-admiral Michael Gilday says the US has a high degree of confidence that Iran's Revolutionary Guards were responsible for the explosions on the four tankers in the Gulf of Oman. | |
| Saudi Arabia's King Salman hosts high-level summits in Mecca. He calls on the international community to use all means to confront Iran and accuses them of being behind 'terrorist operations' that targeted Saudi oil interests. | |
| Saudi Arabia says 26 people were wounded in an attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels on an airport in the kingdom's south-western town of Abha. | |
| Two oil tankers near the strategic strait of Hormuz were reportedly attacked in an assault that left one ablaze and adrift as 44 sailors were evacuated from both vessels and the US navy assisted. | |
| Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say they have shot down what they called a US 'spy' drone they claim was flying in in the country’s airspace. The US military confirm one of its drones has been taken down, but say it was in international airspace. | |
| The Democratic House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, who had attended a classified White House briefing with other congressional leaders, had said the administration should “do everything in our power to de-escalate”, while Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said he worried the administration “may bumble into a war”. | The Democratic House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, who had attended a classified White House briefing with other congressional leaders, had said the administration should “do everything in our power to de-escalate”, while Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said he worried the administration “may bumble into a war”. |
| He said he told the president there must be a “robust, open debate” and Congress should have a real say. Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House intelligence committee, said: “The president certainly listened to what we had to say.” | He said he told the president there must be a “robust, open debate” and Congress should have a real say. Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House intelligence committee, said: “The president certainly listened to what we had to say.” |
| One of the targets of the planned strikes was the S-125 Neva/Pechora surface-to-air missile system, Newsweek quoted a Pentagon official as saying. It reported the US believed the system was behind the US drone attack, although Tehran said it had used its “3rd Khordad” air defence system, the Iranian equivalent of the Russian Buk system that downed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine in 2014. | One of the targets of the planned strikes was the S-125 Neva/Pechora surface-to-air missile system, Newsweek quoted a Pentagon official as saying. It reported the US believed the system was behind the US drone attack, although Tehran said it had used its “3rd Khordad” air defence system, the Iranian equivalent of the Russian Buk system that downed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine in 2014. |
| Trump had earlier appeared keen to calm tensions following the shooting down early on Thursday of the US Global Hawk drone, saying blame might be on a “loose and stupid” Iranian officer acting without authorisation from Tehran. | Trump had earlier appeared keen to calm tensions following the shooting down early on Thursday of the US Global Hawk drone, saying blame might be on a “loose and stupid” Iranian officer acting without authorisation from Tehran. |
| “We didn’t have a man or woman in the drone. It would have made a big, big difference,” Trump said. Asked how the US would respond, he said: “You’ll find out.” | “We didn’t have a man or woman in the drone. It would have made a big, big difference,” Trump said. Asked how the US would respond, he said: “You’ll find out.” |
| The downing on Thursday of the unarmed aircraft, which can fly at altitudes of up to 60,000ft, was the latest of a series of incidents that have raised tensions in the Gulf region, a critical artery for global oil supplies. Earlier, a total of six oil tankers were damaged in two separate attacks. | The downing on Thursday of the unarmed aircraft, which can fly at altitudes of up to 60,000ft, was the latest of a series of incidents that have raised tensions in the Gulf region, a critical artery for global oil supplies. Earlier, a total of six oil tankers were damaged in two separate attacks. |
| According to a US official who spoke to the Associated Press, the strikes were recommended by the Pentagon and were among the options presented to senior administration officials. | According to a US official who spoke to the Associated Press, the strikes were recommended by the Pentagon and were among the options presented to senior administration officials. |
| The report of the swift reversal on US retaliation came as the US Federal Aviation Administration banned all US airlines and aircraft from flying in Iranian airspace close to where the US drone was shot down due to “heightened military activities”, as tensions increase in the region. | The report of the swift reversal on US retaliation came as the US Federal Aviation Administration banned all US airlines and aircraft from flying in Iranian airspace close to where the US drone was shot down due to “heightened military activities”, as tensions increase in the region. |
| The FAA issued an emergency order saying all flight operations over water in the Tehran flight information region of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman were prohibited until further notice because military activities and political tensions “present an inadvertent risk to US civil aviation operations and potential for miscalculation or mis-identification”. | The FAA issued an emergency order saying all flight operations over water in the Tehran flight information region of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman were prohibited until further notice because military activities and political tensions “present an inadvertent risk to US civil aviation operations and potential for miscalculation or mis-identification”. |
| Trump suggests 'loose and stupid' Iranian officer attacked US drone | Trump suggests 'loose and stupid' Iranian officer attacked US drone |
| The order applies to US aircraft only but since the MH17 disaster, all countries rely on airspace risk advice from the US, UK, France and Germany. | The order applies to US aircraft only but since the MH17 disaster, all countries rely on airspace risk advice from the US, UK, France and Germany. |
| On Thursday, Iran’s foreign minister and the US military offered competing graphics showing the drone’s flight path and where it was brought down. | On Thursday, Iran’s foreign minister and the US military offered competing graphics showing the drone’s flight path and where it was brought down. |
| Javad Zarif said Iran had recovered parts of the drone in its waters and that it had originally taken off from the United Arab Emirates. | Javad Zarif said Iran had recovered parts of the drone in its waters and that it had originally taken off from the United Arab Emirates. |
| At 00:14 US drone took off from UAE in stealth mode & violated Iranian airspace. It was targeted at 04:05 at the coordinates (25°59'43"N 57°02'25"E) near Kouh-e Mobarak.We've retrieved sections of the US military drone in OUR territorial waters where it was shot down. pic.twitter.com/pJ34Tysmsg | At 00:14 US drone took off from UAE in stealth mode & violated Iranian airspace. It was targeted at 04:05 at the coordinates (25°59'43"N 57°02'25"E) near Kouh-e Mobarak.We've retrieved sections of the US military drone in OUR territorial waters where it was shot down. pic.twitter.com/pJ34Tysmsg |
| A map issued by US Central Command suggested the drone was brought down in international waters in the Strait of Hormuz. | A map issued by US Central Command suggested the drone was brought down in international waters in the Strait of Hormuz. |
| The ISR Flight path and grid plots for the RQ-4A shot down by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. “This was an unprovoked attack on a U.S. surveillance asset that had not violated Iranian airspace at any time …” – Lt Gen Joseph Guastella, @USAFCENT pic.twitter.com/uczI5HF68b | The ISR Flight path and grid plots for the RQ-4A shot down by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. “This was an unprovoked attack on a U.S. surveillance asset that had not violated Iranian airspace at any time …” – Lt Gen Joseph Guastella, @USAFCENT pic.twitter.com/uczI5HF68b |
| Flight tracking data showed commercial aircraft flying close to the Global Hawk drone at the time it was shot down, said OPS Group, which provides safety guidance to air operators. | Flight tracking data showed commercial aircraft flying close to the Global Hawk drone at the time it was shot down, said OPS Group, which provides safety guidance to air operators. |
| “The threat of a civil aircraft shootdown in southern Iran is real,” it advised operators on Thursday. “Avoiding the Strait of Hormuz area is recommended – misidentification of aircraft is possible.” | “The threat of a civil aircraft shootdown in southern Iran is real,” it advised operators on Thursday. “Avoiding the Strait of Hormuz area is recommended – misidentification of aircraft is possible.” |
| Here is our high-res map of the Civil Air Traffic picture at 2335Z last night, showing the risk to aircraft operators in the region. #opsgroup #flightplanning #IranUSTension #StraitofHormuz #drone #missile #iran #GulfOfOman pic.twitter.com/FfhGhdsKvr | Here is our high-res map of the Civil Air Traffic picture at 2335Z last night, showing the risk to aircraft operators in the region. #opsgroup #flightplanning #IranUSTension #StraitofHormuz #drone #missile #iran #GulfOfOman pic.twitter.com/FfhGhdsKvr |
| Last month, US regulator the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advised airlines to exercise caution in flying over Iran and nearby areas, due to heightened military activities and increased political tension. | Last month, US regulator the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advised airlines to exercise caution in flying over Iran and nearby areas, due to heightened military activities and increased political tension. |
| It said: “Although Iran likely has no intention to target civil aircraft, the presence of multiple long-range, advanced anti-aircraft capable weapons in a tense environment poses a possible risk of miscalculation or misidentification, especially during periods of heightened political tension and rhetoric.” | It said: “Although Iran likely has no intention to target civil aircraft, the presence of multiple long-range, advanced anti-aircraft capable weapons in a tense environment poses a possible risk of miscalculation or misidentification, especially during periods of heightened political tension and rhetoric.” |
| Iran | Iran |
| Airline industry | Airline industry |
| Middle East and North Africa | Middle East and North Africa |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |