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A luxury hotel in Dubai was hit as Iran launched strikes across the region in retaliation for a "massive" and ongoing attack against it by the US and Israel, BBC reported. 

Video verified by the BBC shows a fire raging at Fairmont The Palm Hotel. Thick black smoke rises into the sky.

Dubai authorities said that four people were injured in a blaze at a building in the Palm Jumeirah area, and that the fire was brought under control. The statement did not go into further detail on the incident.

British planes "are in the sky" in the Middle East "to protect our people, our interests and our allies," Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said, BBC reported. 

In a pre-recorded statement televised on Saturday afternoon, Starmer said protections for British bases and personnel had been stepped up to their highest level.

The US and Israel launched strikes across multiple Iranian cities including capital Tehran on Saturday morning, after negotiations to limit Iran's nuclear programme ended without an agreement. The UK did not participate in the strikes, according to BBC.

Earlier, the PM released a statement along with the leaders of France and Germany, calling for Iran to "refrain from indiscriminate military strikes".

At least 20 people have been killed and others injured after a Bolivian air force cargo plane crashed in the western city of El Alto, the country's authorities say, BBC reported. 

The incident happened at 18:15 local time (22:15 GMT) on Friday as the plane was arriving at El Alto's airport from the city of Santa Cruz, aviation officials said. It reportedly skidded off the runway and hit nearby vehicles.

The defence ministry later confirmed its C-130 Hercules was involved and that it had been transporting banknotes to the Central Bank of Bolivia. There were eight people aboard the plane, the air force commander said, according to BBC. 

Global airlines suspendedflights across the Middle East on Saturday after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, plunging the region into a renewed military confrontation, Reuters reported. 

Flight maps showed the airspace over Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel and Bahrain virtually empty as Israel said it struck Iran and the U.S. military initiated a series of strikes against targets in the country. Iran retaliated with a salvo of missiles.

Airlines have cancelled almost 40% of flights to Israel and 6.7% of flights to the broader region on Saturday, according to preliminary Cirium data, according to Reuters.