Middle East Crisis Reactions to the Attacks

von der Leyen urges “maximum restraint”

The EU is urging “maximum restraint” after the US and Israeli attack on Iran, and the subsequent counter-attacks, reports AFP.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen describes the turn of events as “deeply concerning”. In a joint statement with European Council President António Costa, she calls on all parties to protect civilians and respect international law.

French President Emmanuel Macron wants the UN Security Council to hold an emergency meeting and warns that a war would have serious consequences for international security.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide believes that the attack violates international law. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares condemns the actions of Israel and the US, as well as Iran.

"Violence only causes chaos. De-escalation and dialogue are the path to peace and stability," he writes in a post on X.

Analysis: Trump's words about overthrowing the regime change everything – the response will be powerful

Donald Trump's message to the Iranian people about taking advantage of the situation to overthrow the regime greatly increases the risk of strong retaliation from Iran. Jared Malsin writes in an analysis in the Wall Street Journal.

Now the regime probably sees it as "fighting for its survival," he continues.

"Trump's broad goals are expected to worry US allies in the region, including the Gulf states and Turkey, who are concerned about a broader regional war that could bring instability right to their own borders."

The only question is who will overthrow the regime. The administration has not explained how it will be done, writes Dan de Luce in NBC.

"Although the regime is deeply unpopular, there is no organized and coherent political opposition on the ground."

Trump's message proves that this is much bigger than an attempt to bring Iran to the negotiating table, writes Keir Simmons, who also works at NBC. In his speech, the president said that it is a historic moment. There are many former American presidents who can testify to how crucial such a decision can be for his future and legacy, writes Simmons.

In the BBC, Middle East correspondent Lucy Williamson, who is in Tel Aviv, writes that Israelis are waking up on Saturday to a new war with Iran - the second in less than a year. Israel sees a great opportunity to strike against a weakened enemy, she writes. But:

"Iran's weakness could be a reason for the country to react more forcefully than before. Israelis across the country are waiting."

Several airlines cancel flights to the Middle East

Several airlines have taken action after this morning's American-Israeli attack on Iran, Reuters reports.

One of them is Norwegian, which announced that it was canceling all flights to and from Dubai.

A spokesperson for the airline told the news agency that it could not yet say how long the suspension would last.

German Lufthansa has canceled flights to and from Tel Aviv, Beirut and Oman, NRK reports.

British Virgin Atlantic has, for its part, rerouted its traffic to avoid airspace over Iraq. Flights between London and Dubai are also being canceled.

The Iran attack — it's relevant

• Israel and the United States carried out a large-scale missile attack on Iran shortly after 7 a.m. on Saturday morning, with powerful explosions in Tehran and several other Iranian cities.
• Iran responded with missile and drone strikes against Israel. Attacks have also been carried out against US military bases in several countries in the Middle East, including Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
• Several high-ranking commanders in Iran's Revolutionary Guard were killed, according to Iranian sources. Large parts of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's palace in Tehran were razed to the ground.
• Donald Trump says the bombings will continue. He urges Iranians to seek shelter, but also to exploit the situation to overthrow the regime.
• A long list of airlines have canceled trips to the region and the Swedish Foreign Ministry has expanded its travel advice to Israel.
• Experter varnar för att attackerna kan vara startskottet på ett större krig i Mellanöstern.