Airlines massively reroute flights due to Israeli strikes on Iran

International air carriers are massively rerouting flights due to the escalation of the situation in the Middle East.

According to Report, citing Reuters, the airlines have left the airspace over Israel, Iran, Iraq, and Jordan, data from the Flightradar24 platform shows.

Air India, which operates flights from Iran to Europe and North America, reported that several flights were redirected or returned to their points of departure, including from New York, Vancouver, Chicago, and London. The budget carrier Flydubai suspended its flights to Amman, Beirut, Damascus, Iran, and Israel. Meanwhile, Qatar Airways canceled two flights to Damascus.

Iraq closed its airspace and suspended all operations at its airports on Friday morning, according to Iraqi state media. In the east of Iraq, near the border with Iran, lies one of the world’s busiest air corridors, where dozens of flights pass through Europe and Persian Gulf states, many traveling from Asia toward Europe. According to Flightradar24, flights were redirected toward Central Asia or Saudi Arabia.

At the same time, Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv is closed. The Israeli airline EL AL also announced that it had suspended all its flights.

Safe Airspace platform is advising carriers to exercise heightened caution in the region.