Nearly 1,300 flights to and from British airports were cancelled Tuesday after a technical problem at air traffic control provider NATS caused widespread disruption. FlightRadar24 reported the cancellations, with Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Edinburgh among affected airports. Dublin Airport in neighbouring Ireland also reported dozens of cancellations. NATS said the fault affected its flight data processing system. By early evening, the provider said the problem had been fixed but warned that clearing the backlog would take time. NATS chief executive Martin Rolfe said the organisation’s investigation was incomplete and that it had no “idea of exactly what went wrong”. The disruption caused widespread travel chaos across the UK today. (PC: AFP)

The US struck five Iranian oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman and near Iran’s Kharg Island after accusing Tehran of targeting a US Navy warship with ballistic missiles twice over two days. The attacks prompted Iran to retaliate with missile strikes on an American base in Jordan, sharply escalating the ongoing war. US Central Command posted a video showing strikes on the five Iranian oil carriers. The US action followed accusations that Iran had targeted a US Navy warship with ballistic missiles. Tehran responded by firing missiles at US forces stationed at Jordan’s Al Azraq base. The strikes mark a fresh escalation in the ongoing confrontation between Washington and Tehran.

US forces have struck multiple Iranian oil tankers linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps after further attempted missile attacks on US Navy ships, according to a US official cited by Reuters. Iranian media reported strikes near Kharg Island and Jask. In response, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned that oil vessels in Kuwaiti and Bahraini ports hosting American forces would be targeted and urged crews to evacuate. The escalation follows earlier US strikes that disabled or destroyed three Iran-linked tankers. Meanwhile, Iran and the US continue exchanging attacks, while Iran-backed Houthis also struck targets in southern Saudi Arabia, widening the conflict across the Gulf. (PC: India Today)

The UK has announced sanctions targeting illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, accusing Israel’s government of failing to stop settler violence against Palestinians. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the measures would ban settlement goods and target companies and individuals involved in settlement expansion. The UK will introduce a comprehensive sanctions regime over the next six to nine months and ban advertising West Bank settlements. Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called Miliband’s allegation of “ethnic cleansing” an “outrageous lie” and announced the closure of the UK consulate in East Jerusalem. France and Canada also joined the sanctions announcement, citing support for a two-state solution. (PC: BBC)

More than 600 flights were cancelled across the UK on Tuesday after a technical issue affected Britain’s air traffic control system, Flightradar24 reported. National Air Traffic Services (NATS) said the problem was identified in its flight processing system and that engineers were working urgently to fix it. NATS later said it had “implemented a fix” and that the system was beginning to recover. About 425 flights to and from UK airports, including Heathrow, were cancelled, affecting airlines such as British Airways, EasyJet, KLM and Lufthansa. Heathrow, Stansted, Manchester, Birmingham and Scottish airports reported disruptions. Arriving flights appeared unaffected, while the cause remained unclear. (PC: NDTV)

Iran-backed Houthi fighters launched missiles and drones at southern Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, wounding 73 people and setting oil-related facilities and utilities on fire. Saudi authorities said women and children were among those injured. The attacks targeted areas including Abha, Jazan, Najran and Khamis Mushait, with the Houthis saying they struck oil, economic and military sites. Facilities linked to Saudi oil giant Aramco and a military airbase were among the reported targets. Fires were reported at several sites, including the Jazan refinery. The attacks followed renewed fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed forces in Yemen, raising fears of a wider regional escalation.

More than 600 flights were cancelled across the UK on Tuesday after air traffic control provider NATS suffered a technical issue. Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Stansted airports were among those affected by cancellations and delays, according to Flightradar24. NATS said the problem was identified in its flight processing system, with engineers working to restore normal operations. “Flights are still departing and airspace is open, but recovery will take some time,” it said, apologising for the disruption. Edinburgh, Luton, Birmingham, Aberdeen and Glasgow airports also reported problems. Dublin Airport said arriving and departing flights were experiencing disruptions, while British Airways said its flights were affected. (PC: HT)

Israel announced it would close Britain’s consulate in East Jerusalem in response to plans by Britain, France and Canada to ban imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Britain would also withdraw from a US-led coordination mission for Gaza, while some British officials and other foreign nationals would be barred from entering Israel. Saar said the measures were coordinated with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as Israel prepares for elections in late October. He called Britain’s move “morally distorted” and accused London of “blatant interference” in Israel’s affairs and electoral process. Saar also dismissed British Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s comments publicly as “outrageous lies”. (PC: AP/ Majdi Mohammed)

Several major UK airports, including London Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Stansted, faced flight disruptions on Tuesday after a technical problem affected the country’s air traffic control system. Air traffic control provider NATS said the issue was identified in its flight processing system, with engineers working urgently to restore normal operations. NATS apologised for the disruption and said flights were still departing while UK airspace remained open, although recovery would take time. Flight-tracking website Flightradar24 said the problem had resulted in strict controls on arriving and departing flights across airports in the London flight information region. Several flights were affected as engineers continued efforts to resolve the technical issue. (PC: Reuters)

The UK has announced sanctions targeting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including companies and individuals involved in settlement expansion. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband also said the government now considers the activity by settler terrorists to amount to “ethnic cleansing” and accused Israel’s government of turning a blind eye. The UK will ban imports of goods from Israeli settlements and refuse arms licence applications that contribute to the occupation. France, Canada and nine other countries have also announced similar measures. The moves come as Israel plans 1,200 new homes in the West Bank and settler attacks on Palestinians have increased this year. (PC: BBC)