Airlines continued to steer clear of Middle Eastern airspace over the weekend following the US military’s strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, further compounding the disruption already caused by escalating regional tensions.
According to flight-tracking platform FlightRadar24, commercial flights have largely been avoiding skies over Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Israel, opting instead for longer and costlier routes via the Caspian Sea or through Egypt and Saudi Arabia. “Following US attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, commercial traffic in the region is operating as it has since new airspace restrictions were put into place last week,” the company confirmed in a post on X.
The situation has escalated flight risks in the region, prompting warnings from Safe Airspace, a platform managed by aviation intelligence group OPSGROUP. While there are no direct threats to civil aviation, the group noted that “Iran has previously warned it would retaliate by attacking US military interests in the Middle East — either directly or via proxies such as Hizbollah.”
The fallout from the ongoing conflict has also prompted flight suspensions. United Airlines and American Airlines have both halted operations to major Gulf destinations, including Dubai and Qatar. Meanwhile, Israel’s top carriers—El Al, Arkia, and Israir—have called off all repatriation flights, citing safety concerns. El Al has also extended cancellations of regular flights until at least June 27.
With Israeli airspace closed to all flights, tens of thousands of stranded travelers—both tourists and residents—are seeking alternative routes out. Many are crossing into Jordan or boarding boats to Cyprus. Israel’s tourism ministry has stepped in to assist in the evacuation efforts.
Other governments are taking action as well. Japan’s foreign ministry announced it had evacuated 21 people from Iran to Azerbaijan, while New Zealand said it would dispatch a military Hercules aircraft to the Middle East as a standby evacuation measure for its citizens.
