International News
Rhodes Fires: Brits Flee Homes For Safety As Greek Fires Intensify
As fires rage on the Greek island of Rhodes, British holidaymakers continue to shorten their vacations.
Tuesday saw an increase in the number of planes leaving Greece for the UK.
The Foreign Office modified its advice, advising travelers to make sure they had “appropriate insurance” before entering potentially affected areas.
To assist with travel insurance claims, the Liberal Democrats have encouraged ministers to warn against visiting Rhodes unless absolutely necessary.
On Tuesday, Jet2 had nine planes planned to leave Rhodes, some of which had extra seats to accommodate additional travelers attempting to leave the island.
EasyJet said extra seats were available on Wednesday’s flights.
Earlier, one of the airline’s pilots flying British tourists to Rhodes urged passengers at Gatwick to get off the plane before take-off.
“I don’t know in what capacity you are travelling, but if you are travelling for leisure, my sincere recommendation is that it’s a bad idea,” the pilot told passengers on board.
Women embrace as holidaymakers fleeing Greek wildfires arrive at Gatwick Airport
On Monday morning, Foreign Office Minister Andrew Mitchell said up to 10,000 Brits were on Rhodes in total – this number includes tourists in unaffected parts of the island.
Jet2 – which ran repatriation flights to Manchester, Leeds-Bradford, Glasgow and Stansted overnight – said “approximately 1,000 customers” had either been flown back to the UK or moved to hotels in unaffected areas.
EasyJet has cancelled outbound package holidays to Rhodes until Saturday, while Tui has cancelled its packages going to the south of the island until 11 August.
The view from Rhodes airport
Instead of formally advising holidaymakers not to travel to the affected Greek islands, the Foreign Office said people should check with their hotel and travel operator before travelling, and explained how to sign up for emergency alerts.
Updated advice said the fires were taking place “in populated areas on the mainland and a number of islands” and were “highly dangerous and unpredictable”.
The Foreign Office advised those visiting the affected areas to make sure they had “appropriate insurance”, and directed travellers towards a number of resources they could use if they were near the wildfires.
It could be recall that Biztellers earlier reported that two Greek air force pilots died after a water-bombing plane crashed on the island of Evia while fighting wildfires on Tuesday afternoon.
They were named as 34-year-old Cdr Christos Moulas and his co-pilot, 27-year-old Pericles Stefanidis.
In the last week, more than 35,000 hectares (86,500 acres) of forest and other land has been scorched by fire in Greece, the World Wildlife Fund for Nature said.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told his cabinet the next three days “will be difficult” but he hoped conditions will ease from Friday.
“Let me state the obvious,” he said. “That in the face of what the entire planet is facing, especially the Mediterranean, which is a hotspot for climate change, there is no magic defence.
“If there was, obviously we would have implemented it.”
Portugal officially inaugurated its new president, Antonio Jose Seguro, on Monday, pledging to bring stability to a nation shaken by political uncertainty and natural disasters.
Seguro, the centre-left candidate, won last month’s presidential run-off against far-right rival Andre Ventura, following weeks of catastrophic storms that killed at least seven people and caused approximately €4 billion ($4.6 billion) in damage.
Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony in Lisbon’s parliament, Seguro emphasized cooperation with the minority right-wing government and vowed to end the country’s “electoral frenzy.”
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“I will do everything I can to put an end to this electoral frenzy,” he said, pointing to the inability of previous governments to complete their terms.
Amid global crises, including conflicts in the Middle East and a more isolationist US approach under President Donald Trump, Seguro stressed the importance of multilateralism.
“The force of law has been replaced by the power of the strongest,” he remarked.
Seguro succeeds Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a conservative who leaves office at 77 after serving two five-year terms.
While the Portuguese presidency is largely ceremonial, Seguro’s leadership signals a commitment to political stability and international engagement.
The war involving the United States, Israel and Iran intensified on its fourth day Tuesday, with fresh explosions reported in Tehran, missile interceptions over Jerusalem, and rising tensions spreading across Lebanon and Gulf states.
AFP journalists in Tehran reported loud blasts across several parts of the Iranian capital, though officials did not immediately confirm the exact targets.
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The conflict began over the weekend after coordinated US and Israeli strikes reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, triggering retaliatory attacks across the region.
Iran Appeals to UN
Iran called on the United Nations Security Council to intervene and halt the war. Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the council had a responsibility to act, insisting there were no legal obstacles preventing immediate action.
Oil Surges as Hormuz Disrupted
Global oil prices spiked amid fears of supply disruption, particularly as the strategic Strait of Hormuz — a crucial oil shipping route — was effectively closed.
Brent crude rose more than eight percent to $85.12 per barrel, its highest level since mid-2024. Meanwhile, precious metals fell sharply, with gold dropping over four percent and silver plunging more than 12 percent as investors shifted toward energy and the US dollar.
Iran Issues Fresh Threats
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned of intensified attacks on US forces and Israeli targets.
A spokesman vowed that “continuous punitive attacks” would follow, declaring that the “gates of hell” would open against both nations.
Israeli Troops Advance in Lebanon
Israeli ground forces reportedly advanced into areas near Kfar Kila and the Khiam plains along the Lebanon border.
Israel said the move was aimed at creating a buffer zone to protect its northern communities.
The escalation has displaced at least 30,000 people in Lebanon, according to the UN refugee agency.
Nuclear Site Damaged
The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Iran’s Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant sustained recent damage to entrance buildings at its underground facility. However, the agency said no radiological consequences were expected.
Gulf Capitals, US Embassy Hit
Explosions were also reported in Manama and Doha as Iranian strikes continued into a fourth day.
In the UAE, drone debris sparked a fire in an oil zone in Fujairah, though authorities said the blaze was contained.
Two drones reportedly struck the US embassy in Riyadh, causing a fire. Saudi officials condemned the attack as unjustified.
Tech Infrastructure Targeted
US tech giant Amazon confirmed that two of its data centres in the UAE were directly hit by drones, disrupting cloud services in parts of the Middle East. A nearby facility in Bahrain was also damaged.
Global Reactions
US President Donald Trump criticised UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer over disagreements on the use of British military bases, saying relations were “not like they used to be.”
France deployed Rafale fighter jets to protect its bases in the UAE, while China urged all sides to ensure safety in the Strait of Hormuz and called for an immediate ceasefire.
Iran has called on the United Nations Security Council to urgently intervene and halt the ongoing war involving the Islamic Republic, Israel and the United States.
Speaking during a weekly foreign ministry briefing on Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the global body has both the authority and responsibility to act in order to prevent further escalation of hostilities.
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“The United Nations Security Council has a duty… if it wishes, it can certainly act, because there is no obstacle to its action except its own will,” Baqaei stated.
His remarks come amid rising tensions and continued military exchanges that have heightened fears of a broader regional conflict.
Iran maintains that international institutions must step in decisively to prevent further loss of life and instability across the Middle East.
Tehran’s appeal places renewed pressure on the Security Council’s five permanent members, whose divisions have often stalled unified action in past conflicts involving major global powers.
Analyst say any meaningful intervention would require consensus among key stakeholders, including Washington and its allies.
The war has drawn global concern, with several countries calling for restraint and diplomatic engagement to avoid further deterioration of security in the region.
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