April 15, 2024 - Israel-Hamas war

Israel's military has warned Gaza residents that the north of the strip is "a dangerous combat zone" through social media and airdropped leaflets.

The military's Arabic spokesperson posted an "urgent" message on X directing Gazans "to stay in the humanitarian areas and shelters in the southern part of the Strip and avoid attempting to return to the north of the Strip" to "ensure your safety."

The warning comes after thousands of Palestinians, including men, women, children and elderly, came under Israeli fire on Sunday when they attempted to return to their homes in northern Gaza.

Videos began circulating online Sunday morning showing people heading to the north for the first time in such large numbers. Some people told CNN they heard the Israeli military was allowing women and children to move back up. Others said their relatives were allowed to cross over.

A young girl was shot in the head by Israeli soldiers, her mother said. She and her daughter had attempted to cross into the north with Sabreen’s husband, but the soldiers turned him back, leaving her and her four children to face the journey alone. She told CNN her daughter is still in intensive care.

The Dutch embassy in Iran’s capital, Tehran, will remain closed to the public, with officials citing precautionary measures due to escalating tensions between Iran and Israel.

The Dutch consulate-general in Erbil, the capital of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region in northern Iraq, will also stay closed.

Earlier on Sunday, the ministry announced the closure of the diplomatic missions hours after Iran launched an attack on Israel.

Reactions to Iran's strikes on Israel have poured in from world leaders, some openly condemning Tehran, others calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and almost all urging restraint during a moment of huge tension in the Middle East.

Here are the latest responses:

Oman has expressed "profound concern" over the escalation in military activities between Iran and Israel, emphasizing the grave implications of these tensions.

The Philippines expressed "serious concern over the increasing tensions between Israel and Iran."

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters condemned Iran's "shocking and illegal strikes against Israel" on Sunday. 

Malaysia and Indonesia have issued separate statements calling for restraint after Iran's retaliatory strikes on Israel.

Both Southeast Asian countries, where Islam is the predominant religion, reiterated support for Palestinian rights and causes. Malaysia and Indonesia do not recognize Israel.

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban also condemned Iran's strikes on Israel, warning they posed a "grave" threat globally.

Gold prices rose while Asian stocks mostly fell on Monday, as rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East spurred demand for safe-haven investments after Iran launched an unprecedented attack on Israel over the weekend.

Oil prices had settled higher on Friday in anticipation of retaliatory action from Iran, hitting their highest levels since October.

They retreated slightly during Asian trading hours on Monday, as traders curtailed the geopolitical risk premium after the attack caused only minor damage, according to Israeli military officials.

Iran’s attack is likely to raise concerns of a possible disruption to oil supply, they said. “The extent of that risk will likely be determined by the reaction of Israel’s government.”

Before Iran’s attack, US stocks ended Friday sharply lower, as Wall Street worried about escalating tension in the Middle East.

US futures are cautiously higher after US President Joe Biden and his national security team, seeking to contain the risk of a wider regional war, told their counterparts the US will not participate in any counter-strike against Iran.

Read the full story.

Airports in the Iranian capital of Tehran have resumed flights at 6:00 a.m. local time on Monday, according to Iran's state-aligned Tasnim news agency.

On Sunday both of Tehran's airports, Imam Khomeini Airport and Mehrabad Airport, suspended flights after Iran's attack on Israel stoked regional tensions.

Travel disrupted: On Saturday, at least three United Airlines flights headed to or departing from the Middle East were canceled as the conflict unfolded.

Dutch carrier KLM has said it would stop flying over Iran and Israel "as a precaution" but continue to fly to and from Tel Aviv.

Austrian Airlines and Lufthansa — currently the only two Western carriers that operate international flights to Iran — have announced a suspension of flights to and from Tehran through April 18.

Malaysia and Indonesia have issued separate statements calling for restraint after Iran's retaliatory strikes on Israel.

Both Southeast Asian countries, where Islam is the predominant religion, reiterated support for Palestinian rights and causes. Malaysia and Indonesia do not recognize Israel.

"Malaysia strongly urges all parties in the Middle East region to refrain and exercise great caution and not to escalate the already tense situation," its Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Sunday.

Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also called on "all parties to exercise restraint" after Iran's retaliatory strikes on Israel and said that they were "deeply concerned over the escalation of the situation in the Middle East."

India has called on Iran to release 17 Indian crew members on board a container ship seized by Iran on Saturday. 

Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said that he spoke to his Iranian counterpart Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and "took up the release of 17 Indian crew members of MSC Aries."

Four Filipino seamen were also on board the ship, according to the Philippine Department of Migrant Workers.

The department said it was working with its government, the ship owner, and the operator to release the captured seafarers.

On Saturday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards seized an Israeli-linked container ship in a helicopter operation near the Strait of Hormuz, state news agency IRNA reported. 

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) said there were 25 crew members on board.

An hours-long Israeli war cabinet meeting ended Sunday without a decision on how Israel will respond to Iran’s unprecedented missile and drone attack, an Israeli official said.

The cabinet is determined to take action — but has yet to decide on the timing and scope, the official said.

CNN analyst Barak Ravid said Israeli ministers Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot advocated for swift action, but US President Joe Biden's phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu led to a decision to delay the response. 

Israel is not seeking war after Iran's attack and "balance is needed in this situation," Israeli President Isaac Herzog told CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Sunday.

Biden and senior members of his national security team told their counterparts the US will not participate in any offensive action against Iran, according to US officials familiar with the matter.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said any “new aggression against the interests of the Iranian nation will be met with a heavier and regrettable response,” according to state media. 

Here are some other key developments:

And here's the latest on the war in Gaza:

Israel and Iran’s United Nations ambassadors condemned each other’s actions during Sunday’s UN Security Council emergency session called to address Iran’s attack on Israel.

Israel’s UN ambassador Gilad Erdan said Iran "must be stopped before it drives the world to a point of no return, to a regional war that can escalate to a world war."

Erdan accused Iran of seeking world domination and that its attack proved that Tehran "cares nothing, nothing for Islam or Muslims" before pulling out a tablet to show a video of Israel intercepting Iranian drones above Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Erdan called on the Security Council to designate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terror organization.

Iran’s UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said his country’s operation was "entirely in the exercise of Iran’s inherent right to self-defense, as outlined in Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations and recognized by international law."

Iravani said:

Tehran’s attack had been anticipated since a suspected Israeli strike on an Iranian diplomatic complex in Syria earlier this month.

Iravani added Iran has “no intention of engaging in conflict with the US in the region” but warned Iran will use its “inherent right to respond proportionately” should the US initiate a military operation against “Iran, its citizens or its security.”