AMMAN, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Jordan's Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission (CARC) on Monday announced a partial and temporary nightly closure of the country's airspace to all incoming, outgoing and transit flights, citing ongoing regional tensions.
Jordan's airspace will be closed from 6:00 p.m. (GMT 1600) local time until 9:00 a.m. the following day, effective Monday night until further notice, according to the commission.
CARC Chief Commissioner Dhaifallah Alfarajat said the move aims to ensure the safety and security of civil aviation within Jordanian airspace amid the evolving regional situation.
In a separate statement, Alfarajat said Queen Alia International Airport handled around 120 flights on Sunday, roughly 60 percent of its normal volume, as several foreign carriers temporarily suspended or canceled flights to the region.
The development comes as the United States and Israel on Saturday launched a large-scale joint attack on Iran. Iran subsequently carried out retaliatory strikes, targeting sites in Israel and U.S. military bases in Gulf countries and Jordan. ■
