Jane Araf

The hotels, which carry the Four Seasons and Sheraton logos,

despite no longer being part of those chains, are popular with foreign delegations.

Iran has attacked high-profile hotels in Dubai and Bahrain, saying they're hosting U.S.

military personnel who have been evacuated from bases.

Australia on Saturday also warned citizens of threats against hotels in Dubai.

And in Iraq, some hotels are no longer accepting foreign guests due to the threats, while others have temporarily closed.

Jane Araf, NPR News, Amman.

The Kurdistan region's Peshmerga military forces said six Iranian ballistic missiles struck one of their headquarters near Erbil Tuesday, killing six fighters.

The Iraqi government says it summoned the Iranian ambassador to complain about the attack on the Peshmerga base, the first known by Iran on Kurdistan region forces in this war.

Iran since Tuesday has intensified attacks in the region.

including in the Kurdish capital Erbil, where the provincial governor said U.S.

fighter jets were patrolling.

Regional President Nesher Van Barzani says Iran acknowledged that the attack was a mistake and said it was investigating.

Jane Araf, NPR News, Amman.

It's pouring rain here, but there are hundreds and hundreds of people carrying lit torches and making their way up the mountain.

This celebration marks the first day of spring, but it also references mythology in which a tyrant was defeated.

And the flames are a symbol of the victory of light over darkness.

It's a tradition that's much, much older than the countries in which it's celebrated.

And more than anything, as war rages around the region, it's a symbol of the endurance here of Kurdish identity.

Jane Araf, NPR News, Accra, in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.