Iran and Israel continued trading missiles and air strikes on Saturday, with both sides reporting deaths. Iran reported that an Israeli attack on a housing complex left 60 people dead, including 20 children. Tel Aviv said Iranian missiles killed three people and injured dozens.

Reuters reported that sirens sent residents into shelters as a barrage of Iranian missiles streaked across its skies, while interceptors were launched to meet them. The British news agency said an Israeli official reported Iran had fired about 200 ballistic missiles in four rounds.

The news outlet also said there are increasing fears that “outside powers” will be dragged into the conflict, which all news outlets and governments have stopped short of calling a war, in an attempt to prevent it from escalating into an all-out regional conflict.

Calling on an Iranian uprising

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Iranian citizens to rise against their Islamic clerical rulers, while Iran called on its people to unite in defence of the country, Al Jazeera said.

Official Israeli reports revealed that Iranian fire continued to strike residential districts in Israel, prompting Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, to say Iran’s leadership had crossed a red line. “If (Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali) Khamenei continues to fire missiles at the Israeli home front, Tehran will burn,” he added.

Iran’s missile barrages came in response to intense Israeli strikes on Friday that killed several top Iranian generals and most of the senior leadership of the Revolutionary Guards’ air arm.

Among those killed in the Israeli aggression are the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Hossein Salami, and the chief of staff of the armed forces, Mohammad Bagheri. Prominent Iranian nuclear scientists are also among the dead, Al Jazeera said in a separate report.

Despite nuclear negotiations

The Israeli strikes took place despite negotiations between Iran and Israel’s principal ally, the United States, over the future of Tehran’s nuclear programme, which Israel has long said represents an existential threat to its nation.

“If we don’t attack, then it’s 100 per cent that we will die,” Netanyahu said in a video speech he posted X. “So even if it’s not perfect, we have to do it, because we have to change the direction of Iran’s military build-up, both its ballistic weapons and nuclear weapons.”

The prime minister assured his intelligence officers had identified that Tehran had embarked on a nuclear programme, including the monthly production of 300 ballistic missiles.

Israeli attacks will continue as long as needed

“We will not allow Iran to advance toward a nuclear [bomb]. We will not allow the development of missiles intended to harm us,”  Netanyahu said, when announcing that the current “operation would continue for as many days as necessary to remove this threat.”

Tehran also warned Israel’s allies that their regional military bases would come under fire too if they continued to help shoot down Iranian missiles, Iranian state television reported. The US has assisted Israel in intercepting Iranian missiles.

Iran’s ally, the Yemeni Houthi group, fired missiles at Israel on Friday night. However, at least one of them went rogue, injuring five Palestinians, including three children, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Red Crescent said.

So, what’s the hottest European destination for Americans right now? Here’s a hint: it isn’t Paris, and you won’t find them queueing outside the Colosseum for a selfie with a gladiator.

Nope, 2025 is the year American travellers decided to zig where they used to zag. Maybe it’s the TikTok travel influencers, maybe it’s too many hours on Netflix, or maybe—after all those years of “If it’s Tuesday, this must be Belgium”—people are craving something a bit less obvious.

Greece travel boom: Why it’s no longer just for honeymooners

Let’s start with the wild card: Greece. Once upon a time, Americans would stick a pin in Mykonos or Santorini, spend three days melting under the blue-domed churches, then fly home with a suitcase full of olive oil. Not anymore.

This year, Greece is topping the “must go” list for US travellers—searches have jumped a ridiculous 350 per cent. If you’re picturing sunburnt tourists piling onto cruise boats, think again. What’s really happening? Americans are sniffing out the quieter spots—Crete’s sleepy fishing towns, the untouristy side of Paros, wild corners of the Peloponnese. Some say it’s the endless blue, others the “it’s five o’clock somewhere” spirit, but mostly, people want somewhere to just…breathe.

Ask a returning traveller and they’ll tell you: “We spent a week in a stone cottage with three tavernas and two goats for neighbours. I barely wore shoes. I think I might be Greek now.”

Croatia, Portugal and Beyond: The new old world

But it’s not just Greece on the rise. Croatia is up 83 per cent in searches. There’s something about the Croatian coastline—jagged, wild, dotted with medieval towns and beaches that actually live up to the hype. It’s like Americans have finally heard the secret Europeans have been whispering about for years: skip the crowds, grab a ferry, and try the local wine.

Portugal’s up 25 per cent too, and it’s not only about Lisbon’s pastel tiles. The Algarve, Porto, even inland towns are popping up on more American itineraries. There’s a real hunger for somewhere smaller, friendlier, maybe just a touch off the tourist grid.

France and Italy, those eternal classics, are still high on the booking charts (France takes the crown for actual stays, with 32 per cent of bookings). But the big shift is what people do when they get there. Forget bucket lists—Normandy and Dordogne are suddenly booming. Why? Because after years of “Paris in two days”, Americans are ready for long lunches, market days, and rambling through fields that aren’t full of other tourists.

Slow travel trend: Why escaping the rush is the ultimate luxury

It’s funny: just a few years ago, the trend was to rack up as many countries as possible—“I did eight countries in ten days!” was practically a badge of honour. Now? It’s all about the “slow holiday”.

Ask Oliver Bell of Oliver’s Travels, and he’ll say it’s about privacy, authenticity, and living like a local. Americans want space to cook, a garden to read in, and maybe a grumpy village baker who doesn’t speak English. It’s the little things: morning coffee overlooking olive groves, a neighbour dropping off eggs, finding the best picnic spot by accident.

Tuscany, Provence, Puglia, the Loire—all those postcard-perfect regions—are seeing longer stays and bigger groups. And if you’re wondering why Normandy’s up 600 per cent in search popularity, or Dordogne’s up 250%, it’s not just the cheese. Americans are discovering the joy of renting a cottage, buying too much bread, and pretending—just for a week—they’re French.

American holiday bookings: Where are they actually jetting off to?

Dreaming is one thing; putting your money down is another. France is still top for bookings, but Italy, Spain, and yes—the UK!—are close behind. (Maybe those Cornish pasties and Cotswolds walks are more appealing than we thought.)

The real takeaway? Whether they end up in a Greek village, a Croatian harbour, or a French farmhouse, American travellers are done chasing landmarks. They’re after moments: a market stall discovery, a swim at dusk, the world’s slowest lunch.

Travel Trends 2025: American wanderlust is getting more sophisticated

So, next time you spot a lost-looking American in a sleepy Dordogne village, don’t be surprised. Odds are, they’re not lost—they’re exactly where they meant to be. Maybe they’ll stay longer than planned. Maybe, like so many before them, they’ll start dreaming of moving here for good.

One thing’s for sure: the new American invasion is more about finding joy in the everyday, whether it’s a villa garden in France or a sun-bleached stoop in Greece. Maybe they’re on to something.

Where’s your dream slow holiday? The map’s wide open—just follow your nose, and don’t forget the wine.

Stay tuned with Euro Weekly News for more news about Travel

Ibiza is a place most tourists know for its glamorous clubs, high-energy nights, designer yachts, and a lifestyle that promises pure escape. The White Isle’s ability to draw in the rich and famous, alongside holidaymakers eager for their moment in the Mediterranean sun, is a big business. This year, the industry is booming — yet for many locals and the workers who make that glamorous experience possible, the reality is growing increasingly untenable.

The harsh reality is quite different from what most visitors are aware of. Near the island’s main hospital, a shanty town has emerged. People living in poverty conditions, many believe, are exclusive to developing countries in Africa, Asia or Latin America, but never in Europe, much less in a thriving party island like Ibiza. In the Balearics, comprising Mallorca, Menorca, Formentera and Ibiza, 24.4 per cent of locals are at risk of falling into poverty and social exclusion, a report reveals.

Spanish news agency EFE said 250,000 people in the four islands are at risk of poverty, while 46 per cent of the population struggles to make it to the end of each month. Cadena Ser reported that 40 per cent of the population in Ibiza is dissatisfied with their current living conditions and security. “In this context, 18.5 per cent of the population cannot keep their homes at an adequate temperature in winter, and 15.8 per cent are behind on bills related to their primary residence,” the news agency added.

While tourists sip champagne at rooftop bars and pay hundreds of euros for a poolside cabana, a growing community of people who serve them finds itself stranded on the margins, battling for a way to survive. Some live in vans, shacks, or makeshift settlements constructed from scrap materials — a dramatic contrast to the affluence that dominates the tourist brochures, an in-depth Sky News feature revealed.

One hotel worker, forced to reside in a camper van alongside many of his colleagues, described the difficult conditions. Without proper sanitation, without a stable water supply, and with rents that are entirely out of reach, averaging over 1,500 euros per month for a small flat, many people who enable Ibiza’s tourism industry are forced into a precarious lifestyle. They are stranded at the periphery, physically close to the glamorous clubs and restaurants, yet socially distant from the profits that flow through the island.

Ibiza’s rising hostility and inhospitality

This growing inequality underlines a dramatic shift for Ibiza — a place that was once a refuge for artists, free spirits, and locals who made their living alongside tourists. Now, many say, it feels increasingly hostile and inhospitable. Rising rental prices, growing competition for scarce accommodations, and an increasing number of temporary settlements underscore the human cost of a tourism industry that shows few signs of slowing down.

Some locals have gone further, describing a growing humanitarian crisis. Activists and community groups say policymakers have turned a blind eye, focusing instead on securing profits while disregarding the struggles of those who enable the industry’s smooth operations.

Without proper investment in affordable housing and a clear policy to ease the pressure on the rental market, the people who clean hotel rooms, serve food, prepare drinks, and keep clubs and restaurants running are left stranded, without a future in their own community.

The island’s pivotal moment

The growing number of settlements composed of vans and makeshift structures is a visible manifestation of a deepening social divide. The people forced into these precarious living conditions pay a heavy price — a price not reflected in the glamorous lifestyle tourists see or in the profits that hotel chains and clubs pocket.

Ibiza stands at a turning point. Without intervention, without policymakers addressing the growing inequality, the rich will grow richer, the poor will remain stranded, and the character of the White Isle will continue to fade — a victim of its own popularity. The human stories that lie just beneath its glittering surface serve as a powerful warning about the actual cost of a tourism industry that disregards the people who make it possible.