Airlines suspend Middle East flights after US-Israel strikes on Iran

Global airlines are suspending and rerouting flights across the Middle East after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, driving up aviation security risks and prompting multiple countries to close or restrict their airspace, Reuters reported.

Airlines halted services after Israel, Iran, Iraq and Jordan closed their airspace due to the military situation. Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 showed the skies over Iran and Iraq were effectively empty on Saturday morning—creating a visible “blank” zone on global flight maps.

The latest flare-up adds to pressures already facing the aviation industry since prolonged closures of Russian and Ukrainian airspace have pushed more Europe-Asia traffic through Middle East corridors. Further restrictions mean longer detours, higher fuel costs and more complex operations.

Several major carriers announced immediate changes, Reuters said:

• Lufthansa suspended flights to Dubai and paused routes to Tel Aviv, Beirut and Oman, while avoiding certain regional airspaces until March 7.
• Air France-KLM cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv and Beirut, and KLM brought forward cancellations on its Amsterdam-Tel Aviv route.
• Wizz Air halted flights to Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman, with cancellations in place until March 7 and ongoing reassessments.
• Qatar Airways temporarily slowed or reduced air traffic operations.

Reuters added that Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates announced partial airspace closures or restrictions for safety, while many airlines adjusted routes to avoid Iraqi airspace.