ALEX BLOG

By Jana Winter

WASHINGTON, March 2 (Reuters) - Iran and its proxies could target the U.S. with attacks in response to the Saturday killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei by ‌Israeli and U.S. strikes, according to a U.S. intelligence assessment reviewed by Reuters.

The February 28 ‌threat assessment produced by the Office of Intelligence and Analysis at the Department of Homeland Security said Iran and its proxies "probably" pose ​a threat of targeted attacks on the United States, although a large-scale physical attack was unlikely.

The report added that in the short term the main concern was that Iran-aligned "hacktivists" would conduct low-level cyber attacks against U.S. networks, such as website defacements and distributed denial-of-service attacks.

"Although a large-scale physical attack is unlikely, Iran and its ‌proxies probably pose a persistent threat ⁠of targeted attacks in the Homeland, and will almost certainly escalate retaliatory actions — or calls to action - if reports of the Ayatollah's death are confirmed," the DHS ⁠report reviewed by Reuters said.

In response to a request for comment, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement: "I am in direct coordination with our federal intelligence and law enforcement partners as we continue to closely ​monitor and ​thwart any potential threats to the homeland."

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Iran on Sunday ​confirmed reports of Khamenei's death in a ‌strike on Saturday that was initially announced by Israel and U.S. President Donald Trump.

The DHS assessment also said Iran would probably continue its attacks against U.S. and allied targets in the Middle East and would almost certainly blame senior U.S. government officials for any protests that begin because of Trump's statement calling for regime change.

The U.S. and Israeli air war against Iran launched on Saturday widened on Monday as Israel ‌attacked Lebanon in response to strikes by Hezbollah and ​Tehran kept up its missile and drone attacks on Gulf states ​that host U.S. military bases.

On Monday, authorities ​investigating a shooting on Sunday at a bar in Austin, Texas, that killed ‌at least two people said it was too ​early to say if the ​gunman was motivated by the war in Iran.

The body of the gunman, who was killed by police, was seen in a photo obtained by Reuters wearing a shirt with an Iranian ​flag and "IRAN" spelled out in green, ‌white and red across the front. He was also wearing a sweatshirt that said "Property of ​Allah" on it, a U.S. law enforcement official told Reuters.

(Reporting by Jana Winter and ​David Brunnstrom; Editing by Don Durfee and Christian Schmollinger)

A total lunareclipseis turning the moon a deep reddish-orange on Tuesday for sky-gazers in Asia, Australia, the Pacific Islands and the Americas.

This event, often referred to as a blood moon, occurs when Earth moves directly between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow on the satellite's surface and causing it to appear crimson, according toNASA.

This eclipse is the last of three consecutive total lunar eclipses, said Dr. C. Alex Young, associate director for science communication in the heliophysics science division at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The first of these total lunar eclipses occurred inMarch 2025and the second took place inSeptember 2025. If you're able to catch the upcoming eclipse, you should make an effort to do so, he added, as the next total lunar eclipse won't occur until December 31, 2028.

What to look for and when

For the nearly 1 in 3 people on Earth who can observe totality, the point at which the moon is fully in Earth's shadow, "you don't need a fancy telescope to witness this! Just head outside, look up, and enjoy the view," Young said. If you want to enhance your experience, you can use binoculars or a small telescope to help sharpen the details, he noted.

However, visibility depends on the weather as clouds may obscure the view.

The eclipse will be visible from Asia, Australia, the Pacific Islands and the Americas simultaneously, but the local time of the event will depend on your time zone. The penumbral lunar eclipse, which occurs as the moon moves through the Earth's subtle outer shadow, causing faint dimming of the satellite, began at 3:44 a.m. ET. Then, a partial eclipse, the phase during which the bright full moon is partially covered by Earth shadow, starts at 4:50 a.m. ET. The total eclipse will be visible starting at 6:04 a.m. ET.

During the peak of the event, at 6:34 a.m. ET, viewers can expect to see the most intense reddish color. "If you only have time to look at one part, this is what to aim for," Young said.

The total eclipse will end at 7:03 a.m. ET as the moon starts to leave Earth's shadow, after which a partial eclipse followed by a penumbral eclipse will be visible again. The event concludes at 9:23 a.m. ET.

To check timing in your area, seeTime and Date's website.

One full moon with many names

Even when it's not a blood moon, the March full moon goes by many names, which can reflect seasonal changes or animals, according to theFarmers' Almanac.

As the soil warms in early spring, worms and insects emerge from dormancy, giving rise to the name "worm moon," which has been used by groups across America and Europe, according to theFarmers' Almanac.The Ojibwe, or Chippewa, tribes near the Great Lakes refer to the March full moon as the "snow crust moon" or "hard crust on the snow moon," referencing the snow that thaws during the day but refreezes during the cold nights.

The moniker "sore eye moon" is used by several Native American tribes including the Sioux, Lakota, and Assiniboine of the Great Plains and Dakotas. The name originates from the sun reflecting off the snow causing eye soreness.

Upcoming full moons

This year, sky-gazers will get to see two full moons in May, making 13 full moons for the year. Because a full moon happens every 29.5 days and most months are longer than that, sometimes two full moons occur in one month, creating the blue moon phenomenon roughly every 2.5 years.

Here are the remaining full moons of 2026, according to theFarmers' Almanac:

April 1: Pink moon

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May 1: Flower moon

May 31: Blue moon

June 29: Strawberry moon

July 29: Buck moon

August 28: Sturgeon moon

September 26: Harvest moon

October 26: Hunter's moon

November 24: Beaver moon

December 23: Cold moon

Future lunar and solar eclipses

After the upcoming blood moon, the next eclipse, a total solar eclipse, will take place on August 12. It will be visible from Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Russia and a small portion of Portugal, with a partial solar eclipse visible in Europe, Africa and North America, according toNASA.

The event will kick off this year's second eclipse season. Eclipses come in pairs and sometimes trios, referred to as seasons, with a solar eclipse always accompanied by a lunar eclipse roughly two weeks before or after, according to Young.

The accompanying lunar eclipse falls on August 27 and 28, 2027. People living in the Americas, Europe, Africa and Western Asia can expect to see this partial eclipse.

Looking ahead to next year, there will be an annular solar eclipse on February 6, 2027, according to Young. An annular eclipse occurs when the moon passes between Earth and the sun but is too far from Earth to fully hide the sun. As a result, a ring of fire phenomenon can be seen, as the sun's outer edge appears like a glowing circle around the moon. The eclipse will be visible over Argentina, the Atlantic, and West Africa, Young said.

The following eclipse, a total solar eclipse, is the one that Young is most excited about. It will take place on August 2, 2027, and will be visible across Spain, North Africa, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. It has been dubbed the "eclipse of the century," Young added. There will be a whopping 6 minutes and 23 seconds of totality, providing plenty of time to glimpse the spectacular moment.

Whether you are traveling for the best views or hoping to watch from home, these celestial events offer an opportunity to pause, look up and appreciate the awe of the universe.

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As the U.S. and Israel continued tostrike Iranon Monday following amajor attackover the weekend that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, misrepresented images related to the war spread widely online.

They presented years-old footage as current, falsely claimed that U.S. military vehicles had been destroyed and erroneously claimed to show casualties of the war.

Here's a closer look at the facts.

CLAIM: An image shows Khamenei's body under a pile of rubble.

THE FACTS: This is false. It was created with AI. Google's Gemini appdetected SynthID, a digital watermarking tool for identifying content that has been generated or altered with AI, in the image. This means it was created or edited, either entirely or in part, by Google's AI models.

In the image, a body whose face is blurred is trapped beneath rubble while four men wearing hard hats and safety vests shine flashlights onto the area and work on clearing the debris. Small fires burn in the background.

Iranian state media confirmed early Sunday that Khamenei had been killed in Saturday's attack by the U.S. and Israel. A photo of his body has not been publicly released.

CLAIM: Images show the USS Abraham Lincoln sinking or otherwise damaged after an Iranian ballistic missile strike.

THE FACTS: U.S. Central Command said inan X postthat the warship, one of two aircraft carriers the U.S. militaryhas deployedto the region, "was not hit" and that "the missiles didn't even come close." The post, which went up after Iranian leadership claimed the ship was struck in the attack, adds that it is continuing to launch aircraft.

Many images said to show the aftermath of a strike on the USS Abraham Lincoln are years-old. For example, an image of a ship sinking into the ocean with a helicopter hovering above has appeared onlinesince at least 2021. A video of a ship engulfed in flames and billowing smoke appeared in a Facebook postfrom June 2025.

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CLAIM: A video shows the downing of a U.S. fighter jet in Iran.

THE FACTS: This is false. It is from a military-themedvideo game.

The video spreading online shows a missile speeding toward a fighter jet, which performs dramatic evasive maneuvers. There is a loud bang at the end of the video and the aircraft heads toward the ground.

But a YouTube channel dedicated to military video game simulationsoriginally postedthe clip in November 2025. A caption on the clip states that "all scenes are captured in-game for entertainment and learning purposes only." The aircraft is identified as an F-4 Phantom II.

Three U.S. fighter jets, all of them F-15E Strike Eagles, weremistakenly downedin Kuwait — not Iran — by friendly Kuwaiti fire on Monday, according to the U.S. military. Iranian state television claimed that Iran had targeted one of the planes that crashed.

CLAIM: A video shows U.S. soldiers returning home in coffins from the Iran war.

THE FACTS: This is false. It shows the dignifiedtransferof U.S. Army servicemembers who died in Iraq in Operation New Dawn. The transfer took place on June 8, 2011, at Dover Air Force Base.

Theoriginal videowas posted to YouTube by a photographer and U.S. Marine Corps veteran who fought in the Vietnam War.

There are a number of indications that the YouTube video matches the clip currently spreading online. For example, about one minute and 57 seconds into the video, a plane taxis in the background. Additionally, the front of a blue vehicle is visible throughout most of the video in the bottom right corner.

Associated Press writer Abril Mulato in Mexico City contributed to this report.

Find AP Fact Checks here:https://apnews.com/APFactCheck.

Thewar with Irancontinues to cause aviation chaos in the Middle East and beyond as some of the world's busiest airports attempt to manage the fallout of airspace closures, with only a limited number of flights now departing the region.

The US is warning its citizens to leave the region now "using available commercial travel," but a wide corridor of airspace over the Middle East remained closed on Tuesday as countries neighboring Iran restricted flights in and out of the region.

Some flights have left airports in US-friendly Persian Gulf states, including United Arab Emirates cities Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but the situation remains fluid and travelers are being urged to monitor government alert systems and check with their airlines.

Fresh strikes by Iran on Saudi Arabia late Monday have added to a complicated picture emerging for travelers stranded in the region.

Here's what travelers need to know.

Is Middle East airspace still closed?

The skies over the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Israel, Bahrain, Iraq and Jordan all remained nearly empty Tuesday morning, as shown on maps by flight tracking website Flightradar24.

The Middle East is home to several major airlines, including Emirates and Etihad in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and Qatar Airways, based in the Qatari capital, Doha. And the impact stretches far beyond the Middle East. All three of those cities are major global hubs, with millions of passengers transiting through them each year.

Emirates, which had suspended all flights to and from its bases, resumed alimited numberof flights Monday night. Fly Dubai also resumed limited flights on Monday.

Several commercial flights are scheduled to take off on Tuesday morning, according to the Dubai Airports website. However, travelers are advised not to proceed to the airport unless they have been contacted directly by their airline

All of Etihad's scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended until 2 p.m. UAE time March 4. The airline said "some repositioning, cargo and repatriation flights may operate in coordination with UAE authorities and subject to strict operational and safety approvals."

Qatar Airways flights to and from Doha's Hamad International Airport remainsuspendeddue to the closure of Qatari airspace. In a post on its website, the airline says a further update will be provided before 9 a.m. Tuesday local time.

What are governments advising?

The State Department has urged US citizens to "DEPART NOW" from countries throughout the Middle East "due to serious safety risks," however the limited number of flights poses a challenge for those trying to exit the region.

A post on X from the State Department's top official for consular affairs called on US citizens to depart "using available commercial travel" from Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

US citizens affected by the situation are also encouraged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which allows the State Department to contact US citizens in case of emergency.

On Tuesday morning, Canada's government posted a notice on X advising travelers to "leave the United Arab Emirates as soon as you can secure a flight option. The airspace is subject to intermittent, temporary and partial closures." It has also advised Canadians to avoid all travel to Bahrain, Iraq, Israel and Palestine, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar and the UAE and to avoid nonessential travel to Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

The United Kingdom's government says British nationals in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar and UAE should register their presence to receive direct updates from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

The Australian government has opened an emergency portal for citizens in Israel, Iran, Qatar and the UAE, and warned its citizens overseas to be prepared for serious travel disruptions in the days ahead due to the conflict in the Middle East.

Australians have been told to avoid most destinations in the Middle East. This includes Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, the UAE and Yemen.

They should also reconsider the need to travel to Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

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How many flights have been canceled?

More than 1,000 flights had already been canceled as of Tuesday morning, adding to the thousands of international flights canceled on Sunday and Monday, according to data fromFlightAware.com.

Outside the region, other airlines continue to reroute or cancel flights that had been scheduled to fly near the conflict zone.

German airlineLufthansa, for instance, has suspended flights to and from Dubai until March 4. It has also suspended flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Erbil, Dammam, and Tehran until March 8.

What should you do if your flight is canceled?

Travelers are advised to check with their airline or travel agent as soon as possible for information on rebooking and refunds, though passengers are reporting difficulties getting assistance because of high caller volumes.

Policies vary according to the airline.

According to theEmirates website, affected travelers can book an alternate flight for travel on or before March 20, or request a refund.

Guests holdingEtihadtickets issued on or before February 28, 2026, with original travel dates up to March 7, may rebook free of charge onto Etihad-operated flights up to March 18.

Policies are similar outside the region.British Airways, for instance, says customers flying between London Heathrow and Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai or Tel Aviv up to March 15 can change their flight date free of charge to travel on or before March 29, while those traveling up to March 8 may also request a full refund.

What is being done for stranded passengers?

With widespread airspace closures, there's little many governments can do to assist their citizens to return home.

The Netherlands government said Monday it's currently impossible to repatriate Dutch citizens due to the closed airspace, according to local media.

"If you want to bring people home, you want to do that safely. At the moment, those options are not available," said Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen, according to multiple media outlets.

Several of the special flights permitted to fly out of Dubai Monday night headed for cities in India. However, at least one flight departing India for Dubai was forced to turn around early Tuesday morning.

The Middle East has a strong contingent of foreign workers, many from Asia – and many of them were just as eager to leave the region as short-term visitors.

The Philippines government said it was working on potential exit points for Filipinos domestic workers, including the possible use of military assets and private sectors for departures by land, sea or air.

On March 2, Indonesia's government said more than 6,000 of its citizens had departed Saudi Arabia since February 28, but tens of thousands more remain stranded.

As for expenses, the United Arab Emirates will cover the food and accommodation costs of the tens of thousands of travelers stranded in the country during the conflict, according to state media.

The UAE's Department of Culture and Tourism sent a notice to hotels requesting them to extend the stay of passengers who are unable to travel "for reasons beyond their control," reported the National.

CNN's Hilary Whiteman, Rhea Mogul, Laura Sharman and Trista Kurniawan contributed to this report.

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March 3 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he expected the war against Iran was "not going to take years", as the conflict widened with Israel attacking Iran-backed Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and Iran hitting Gulf states that host U.S. bases.

Aftermath of an Israeli and the U.S. strike on a police station in Tehran

U.S. President Donald Trump initially projected the war to last four to five weeks, but since sought to justify a broad, open-ended war on Iran.

Netanyahu rejected the idea of the ‌conflict lasting years, like previous wars in the region.

"I said it could be quick and decisive. It may take some time, but it's not going to take years. It's not an endless war," Netanyahu said on Fox ‌News' "Hannity" program on Monday.

With the war entering its fourth day on Tuesday, explosions shook buildings across Tel Aviv as air defenses intercepted incoming Iranian missiles.

Israel attacked the complex that houses Iran's state broadcaster IRIB in Tehran and targeted Hezbollah militants in towns across Lebanon.

Early on Tuesday, two drones, apparently from Iran, ​struck the U.S. embassy in Riyadh, causing minor damage and starting a fire, and at least eight more drones were intercepted before reaching the city, Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry said.

The U.S. and Israeli air war against Iran began with attacks against Tehran on Saturday, which killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Retaliation from Iran and its proxy Hezbollah has dragged the wider Gulf region into the conflict, killing hundreds of civilians in Iran, Israel, Lebanon and other nations.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Tuesday that its naval forces had destroyed the main command building and headquarters of a U.S. airbase in Bahrain in what it described as the 14th wave of "Operation Promise of the Truth 4".

The IRGC said in a statement that it had launched a large-scale drone and missile attack on the ‌base in the Sheikh Isa area early in the morning, with 20 drones and three ⁠missiles striking their intended targets.

The U.S. State Department and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned on Monday that "the hardest hits are yet to come from the U.S. military" in the offensive against Iran.

Asked how long he expected the United States to be engaged in Iran, Rubio told reporters that he did not know, and ⁠that he did not rule out the possibility that Trump might deploy U.S. troops to fight a ground war in the Middle East.

"We believe the objectives we have set for this mission, the destruction of their ballistic missile capabilities, both launch capibilities and manufacturing can be achieved without ground forces," Rubio said.

"Right now we are not postured for ground forces. But obviously the president has those options and he is not going to rule out anything."

TRANSPORT CHAOS

A member of Iran's Assembly of Experts, charged with choosing a new Supreme Leader, said picking Khamenei's successor "won't ​take ​long", Iran's ISNA news agency reported.

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The U.S. military said it had struck more than 1,250 targets in Iran and destroyed 11 Iranian ships. Six ​U.S. service personnel have been killed so far, all in Iran's retaliatory attacks over the weekend ‌on Kuwait.

Kuwait mistakenly shot down three American F-15E fighter jets during an Iranian attack, U.S. Central Command said. All six crew members ejected and were safely recovered.

The conflict has thrown global air transport into chaos and shut down shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, where one-fifth of the world's oil trade skirts the Iranian coast, sending oil prices surging.

Major Gulf hubs, including the world's busiest international airport Dubai, which usually handles over 1,000 flights a day, remained closed for a fourth day due to the conflict. That has left tens of thousands of passengers stranded as aviation faced its biggest test since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Asian airline shares extended losses on Tuesday, with carriers closely monitoring fuel price spikes and many seeing a surge in bookings as passengers switch from Middle Eastern airlines.

Global oil and gas shipping rates soared, with supertanker costs in the Middle East hitting all-time highs, after Tehran targeted ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, according to shipping data and industry sources on Tuesday.

WAR WIDENS TO LEBANON

The U.S. ‌State Department ordered the departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel and family members from Bahrain, Iraq and Jordan.

Trump has said the U.S. faced an ​imminent threat from Iran that justified the war, although he gave no specifics and some U.S. lawmakers said he has shown no evidence to back ​that assessment.

Rubio told reporters that the United States acted preemptively because it knew of close ally Israel's plan to ​strike Iran and knew Tehran would respond, putting U.S. bases at risk.

"We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didn't preemptively go after them ‌before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties," Rubio said.

In his most extensive public ​comments so far on the conflict, Trump on Monday said he ​had ordered the attack to thwart Tehran's nuclear program and a ballistic missile program that he said was growing rapidly.

Commercial satellite imagery has captured what appears to be the first known strikes on an Iranian nuclear site since the start of the war, an independent policy institute said on Monday.

Iran has denied it is seeking nuclear weapons and said the U.S. and Israeli assault was unprovoked, occurring as Tehran and Washington were in negotiations on a ​nuclear accord.

Trump withdrew from a prior international agreement curbing Iran's nuclear program during his first term ‌in 2018, three years after it was signed.

Trump's assault on Iran is the biggest U.S. foreign policy gamble in decades and a major political risk for his Republican Party in this year's midterm elections, with only ​one in four Americans saying they support the Iran attack, according to a weekend Reuters/Ipsos poll.

Russia, China and Turkey have condemned the war.

(Reporting by Jonathan Allen in New York, Kanishka Singh and Ismail Shakil in ​Washington, Enas Alashray in Cairo; Writing by Jonathan Allen and Michael Perry; Editing by Caitlin Webber, Stephen Coates and Raju Gopalakrishnan)

Holi, widely known as theHindu festival of colors, is a joyful annual celebration at the advent of spring with cultural and religious significance.

APTOPIX India Holi Festival

Typically observed in March in India, Nepal, other South Asian countries and across the diaspora, the festival celebrates love and signifies a time of rebirth and rejuvenation — a time to embrace the positive and let go of negative energy.

For one of Holi's most well-known traditions, celebrants clad in all white, come out to the street andthrow colored powdersat each other, leaving behind a kaleidoscope of pigments and joy. Festivities with music, dancing and food ensue.

Holi is celebrated at the end of winter and the beginning of spring, on the last full moon day of the Hindu luni-solar calendar month of Falgun. The date of the festival varies depending on the lunar cycle. Typically, it falls in March, and will be celebrated this year on March 4.

Holi has its origins in Hindu mythology and lore

In many parts of India, people light large bonfires the night before the festival to signify the destruction of evil and victory of good. Different mythological tales point to the reason behind this observance.

In one story, the king, Hiranyakashipu, ordered everyone in his kingdom to worship him and was irked when his own son Prahlad, a devotee of Lord Vishnu, disobeyed his command. So, he ordered his sister Holika who was immune from fire to take the child, Prahlad, into a bonfire while holding him in her lap. However, when the pyre was lit, the boy's devotion to Lord Vishnu protected him and left him unscathed while Holika, despite her immunity, burned to death.

In another southern India tradition, the event is known as Kama Dahanam to commemorate Lord Shiva burning Kamadeva, the god of love, with his third eye. It symbolizes the destruction of lust and other earthly attachments for a higher spiritual purpose, preceding the joy of colors.

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Some also consider Holi a reference to Lord Krishna and his love for his beloved, Radha, and his cosmic play with his consorts and devotees called "gopikas," who are also revered for their unconditional love and devotion to Krishna.

How is the festival of colors celebrated?

On the day of Holi, entire streets and towns are filled with people who throw colored powder in the air. Some fling balloons filled with colored water from rooftops and others use squirt guns. For one day, it's all fair game. Cries of "Holi hai!" which means "It's Holi!" can be heard on the streets. Holi has also been romanticized and popularized over the decades in Bollywood films.

The colors seen during Holi symbolize different things. Blue represents the color of Lord Krishna's skin while green symbolizes spring and rebirth. Red symbolizes marriage or fertility while both red and yellow — commonly used in ritual and ceremony — symbolize auspiciousness.

An array of special foods are part of the celebration, with the most popular food during Holi being "gujia," a flaky, deep-fried sweet pastry stuffed with milk curd, nuts and dried fruits. Holi parties also feature "thandai," a cold drink prepared with a mix of almonds, fennel seeds, rose petals, poppy seeds, saffron, milk and sugar.

Holi is celebrated in the diaspora with worship and social gatherings

In North America and in any country with a Hindu population, people of Indian descent celebrate Holi with Bollywood parties and parades, as well as a host of public and private gatherings. Several U.S. temples will observe Holika Dahan this year on Feb. 2 or Feb. 3 to coincide with the full moon day anda total lunar eclipse, which is rare.

It is also common for Hindu temples and community centers in the U.S to organize cultural programs, friendly cricket matches and other festivities around the holiday.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP'scollaborationwith The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Thewar with Irancontinues to cause aviation chaos in the Middle East and beyond as some of the world's busiest airports attempt to manage the fallout of airspace closures, with only a limited number of flights now departing the region.

The US is warning its citizens to leave the region now "using available commercial travel," but a wide corridor of airspace over the Middle East remained closed on Tuesday as countries neighboring Iran restricted flights in and out of the region.

Some flights have left airports in US-friendly Persian Gulf states, including United Arab Emirates cities Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but the situation remains fluid and travelers are being urged to monitor government alert systems and check with their airlines.

Fresh strikes by Iran on Saudi Arabia late Monday have added to a complicated picture emerging for travelers stranded in the region.

Here's what travelers need to know.

Is Middle East airspace still closed?

The skies over the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Israel, Bahrain, Iraq and Jordan all remained nearly empty Tuesday morning, as shown on maps by flight tracking website Flightradar24.

The Middle East is home to several major airlines, including Emirates and Etihad in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and Qatar Airways, based in the Qatari capital, Doha. And the impact stretches far beyond the Middle East. All three of those cities are major global hubs, with millions of passengers transiting through them each year.

Emirates, which had suspended all flights to and from its bases, resumed alimited numberof flights Monday night. Fly Dubai also resumed limited flights on Monday.

Several commercial flights are scheduled to take off on Tuesday morning, according to the Dubai Airports website. However, travelers are advised not to proceed to the airport unless they have been contacted directly by their airline

All of Etihad's scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended until 2 p.m. UAE time March 4. The airline said "some repositioning, cargo and repatriation flights may operate in coordination with UAE authorities and subject to strict operational and safety approvals."

Qatar Airways flights to and from Doha's Hamad International Airport remainsuspendeddue to the closure of Qatari airspace. In a post on its website, the airline says a further update will be provided before 9 a.m. Tuesday local time.

What are governments advising?

The State Department has urged US citizens to "DEPART NOW" from countries throughout the Middle East "due to serious safety risks," however the limited number of flights poses a challenge for those trying to exit the region.

A post on X from the State Department's top official for consular affairs called on US citizens to depart "using available commercial travel" from Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

US citizens affected by the situation are also encouraged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which allows the State Department to contact US citizens in case of emergency.

On Tuesday morning, Canada's government posted a notice on X advising travelers to "leave the United Arab Emirates as soon as you can secure a flight option. The airspace is subject to intermittent, temporary and partial closures." It has also advised Canadians to avoid all travel to Bahrain, Iraq, Israel and Palestine, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar and the UAE and to avoid nonessential travel to Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

The United Kingdom's government says British nationals in Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Palestine, Qatar and UAE should register their presence to receive direct updates from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

The Australian government has opened an emergency portal for citizens in Israel, Iran, Qatar and the UAE, and warned its citizens overseas to be prepared for serious travel disruptions in the days ahead due to the conflict in the Middle East.

Australians have been told to avoid most destinations in the Middle East. This includes Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, the UAE and Yemen.

They should also reconsider the need to travel to Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

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How many flights have been canceled?

More than 1,000 flights had already been canceled as of Tuesday morning, adding to the thousands of international flights canceled on Sunday and Monday, according to data fromFlightAware.com.

Outside the region, other airlines continue to reroute or cancel flights that had been scheduled to fly near the conflict zone.

German airlineLufthansa, for instance, has suspended flights to and from Dubai until March 4. It has also suspended flights to Tel Aviv, Beirut, Amman, Erbil, Dammam, and Tehran until March 8.

What should you do if your flight is canceled?

Travelers are advised to check with their airline or travel agent as soon as possible for information on rebooking and refunds, though passengers are reporting difficulties getting assistance because of high caller volumes.

Policies vary according to the airline.

According to theEmirates website, affected travelers can book an alternate flight for travel on or before March 20, or request a refund.

Guests holdingEtihadtickets issued on or before February 28, 2026, with original travel dates up to March 7, may rebook free of charge onto Etihad-operated flights up to March 18.

Policies are similar outside the region.British Airways, for instance, says customers flying between London Heathrow and Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai or Tel Aviv up to March 15 can change their flight date free of charge to travel on or before March 29, while those traveling up to March 8 may also request a full refund.

What is being done for stranded passengers?

With widespread airspace closures, there's little many governments can do to assist their citizens to return home.

The Netherlands government said Monday it's currently impossible to repatriate Dutch citizens due to the closed airspace, according to local media.

"If you want to bring people home, you want to do that safely. At the moment, those options are not available," said Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen, according to multiple media outlets.

Several of the special flights permitted to fly out of Dubai Monday night headed for cities in India. However, at least one flight departing India for Dubai was forced to turn around early Tuesday morning.

The Middle East has a strong contingent of foreign workers, many from Asia – and many of them were just as eager to leave the region as short-term visitors.

The Philippines government said it was working on potential exit points for Filipinos domestic workers, including the possible use of military assets and private sectors for departures by land, sea or air.

On March 2, Indonesia's government said more than 6,000 of its citizens had departed Saudi Arabia since February 28, but tens of thousands more remain stranded.

As for expenses, the United Arab Emirates will cover the food and accommodation costs of the tens of thousands of travelers stranded in the country during the conflict, according to state media.

The UAE's Department of Culture and Tourism sent a notice to hotels requesting them to extend the stay of passengers who are unable to travel "for reasons beyond their control," reported the National.

CNN's Hilary Whiteman, Rhea Mogul, Laura Sharman and Trista Kurniawan contributed to this report.

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