Protesters march in Athens over war
Thousands rally against U.S. - Israeli strikes on Iran
Thousands marched through central Athens toward the U.S. and Israeli embassies to protest the widening conflict in the Middle East and military mobilization in the eastern Mediterranean. Organised by left-wing, student and labour groups, the largely peaceful demonstration saw protesters carrying banners reading “Hands off Iran” and “Stop the War,” and waving Palestinian and Iranian flags. Police formed cordons with rows of buses outside the embassies and deployed riot units along the route; authorities said traffic disruptions were limited and the rally ended without major clashes.
Speakers and marchers denounced recent U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran as dangerously escalatory, called for closure of the U.S.-operated Souda naval base on Crete, and urged the Greek government to distance itself from military operations. Commentators at the march blamed U.S. policy for stoking global tensions; one participant said the U.S. president was “making enemies everywhere.”
The protests come amid intensified hostilities that have disrupted global energy markets and shipping in the Persian Gulf, contributing to oil prices rising above $100 a barrel. Israeli and U.S. officials say their objectives include degrading Iran’s ability to project force and targeting its nuclear-related sites; Israeli military sources say an extensive list of further targets remains.
Iran’s new supreme leader publicly urged tighter leverage in the Persian Gulf, including keeping the Strait of Hormuz closed and continuing attacks on Persian Gulf Arab neighbours, while Iran has struck shipping and energy infrastructure in retaliation. Casualty figures from the campaign vary by source, and independent verification remains limited. International observers continue to monitor developments as governments and analysts warn that further escalation could widen the conflict and deepen economic and humanitarian fallout.
