Airlines Suspend Middle East Flights After Israeli Strikes on Iraq
Air travel across the Middle East was severely disrupted on Thursday after Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on Iranian-linked targets in Iraq, prompting multiple countries to close their airspace and major airlines to cancel or reroute flights.
Iraq was the first to respond, announcing the immediate closure of its airspace and suspension of all flights in and out of the country. The decision, confirmed by the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority, was made “to preserve the safety of civil aviation due to regional security developments.”
Following Iraq’s lead, Iran, Jordan, Syria, and Israel also shut down their airspace to civilian aircraft amid rising tensions in the region.
The aerial operation, codenamed Operation Rising Lion, reportedly targeted over 100 sites connected to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including weapons storage, intelligence centers, and suspected nuclear facilities. The Israeli government has yet to issue a full statement, but defense officials have cited national security threats as justification for the strikes.
The heightened conflict and airspace closures triggered swift responses from global and regional airlines. Emirates canceled flights to and from Iraq, Iran, Jordan, and Lebanon. Qatar Airways suspended services to both Iran and Iraq. Flydubai halted operations to Amman, Beirut, Damascus, Iran, and Israel. Etihad Airways and Turkish Airlines rerouted or canceled flights across the affected zones. Lufthansa suspended flights to Tehran and announced it would avoid Iranian, Iraqi, and Israeli airspace entirely. Air France and KLM also halted flights to Tel Aviv, with KLM extending the suspension until at least July 1. Israeli carriers El Al and Israir have grounded their entire fleets. Additional carriers such as Aegean Airlines, Aeroflot, Wizz Air, Ryanair, airBaltic, and Air India implemented cancellations or significant rerouting.
Real-time flight tracking data from Flightradar24 confirmed that civilian aircraft were avoiding large portions of Middle Eastern airspace as of Friday morning.
Airlines have begun reaching out to affected passengers with refund offers, rebooking options, and travel advisories. Travelers scheduled to transit through the region have been advised to check their flight status and consult alternative routes.
The regional fallout comes as the international community calls for restraint and renewed diplomatic dialogue. However, tensions remain high, with fears of broader escalation following Israel’s actions in Iraq and potential Iranian retaliation.
More updates are expected as the situation develops.
