First wave of Europeans stranded by Iran conflict return home, with hundreds of thousands still left in region – Europe live

04.09 EST Morning opening: How to get out of there? Jakub Krupa The first wave of European travellers stranded by the Middle East conflict returned home overnight, securing seats on the few remaining flights out of the region. British, Czech, Italian and Polish media reported first successful returns from Oman and the United Arab Emirates after just a few carriers managed to take off and leave the affected area. Hundreds of thousands are still believed to be in the region with countries stepping up their evacuation plans, with many countries continuing to advise them to shelter in place until the situation improves. The European Commission said late on Monday it was working on “stepping up support for Member States’ evacuation and repatriation efforts .” Expect more details to emerge soon, but the increasingly complex and challenging security situation in the region does not make it any easier. Separately, France has pledged to send anti-missile and anti-drone systems to Cyprus after a British airbase on the island was attacked by drones, the Cyprus News Agency said. Earlier, Greece sent four F-16 fighter jets and two frigates to assist with the island’s defence. Later today, our attention will shift towards the US as German chancellor Friedrich Merz is expected at the White House for his much-awaited meeting with the US president, Donald Trump. Lots for us to cover. It’s Tuesday, 3 March 2026, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live. Good morning.