CAIRO, March 6 (Xinhua) -- As regional hostilities triggered by Israeli-U.S. strikes on Iran continue to flare and spread to additional countries, major airports across the Middle East have been forced to cancel or delay flights for safety reasons, causing significant disruptions to the region's aviation industry.
Here's a brief update on flight operations in the countries affected by the crisis.
Iran
Since the United States and Israel carried out strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, Tehran has closed the country's airspace, with no signs yet of flights resuming.
Israel
The Israeli Ministry of Transport and Road Safety said Friday that departing flights from Ben Gurion International Airport will resume on March 8. The airport was closed on Feb. 28 following the launch of the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran. Incoming flights resumed March 4 on a limited schedule, operated only by Israeli carriers.
In a letter to the country's four airlines, the ministry said departing flights will gradually restart at 8 a.m. local time (0600 GMT) on March 8. Initially, only narrow-body aircraft will operate, with a maximum of 50 passengers per flight.
The United Arab Emirates
As the region's aviation hub, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has faced major disruptions at its airports amid ongoing conflicts, grounding many international flights.
Seven days into the turmoil, UAE carriers said they were gradually restoring services as regional airspace restrictions eased.
Emirates said it expects to return to full global operations in the coming days. By Saturday, the Dubai-based airline plans to operate 106 daily return flights to 83 destinations, covering nearly 60 percent of its worldwide network.
Etihad Airways resumed a limited schedule from Abu Dhabi on Friday, flying to 70 destinations. The airline said services would continue through March 19 as operations gradually stabilize.
Flydubai also restarted limited operations, advising passengers to travel only with confirmed bookings. Connecting passengers would be accepted only if onward flights were running.
Low-cost carrier Air Arabia said it had resumed a few flights and urged travelers to check its website for updated schedules.
Qatar
Flights to and from Hamad International Airport in Qatar remain suspended as the country's airspace stays closed.
In a Friday update, the airport urged passengers not to come to the airport, saying flight operations remain "temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace by relevant authorities." A further update is scheduled for March 7 at 9 a.m. local time.
Qatar Airways said affected passengers will be contacted directly with information on their flights and next steps.
Saudi Arabia
Since Feb. 28, Saudi Arabia's aviation sector has experienced limited disruptions amid ongoing regional tensions, while most airports across the kingdom have continued operating normally.
Major Saudi airports, including King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, continue to handle flights. However, authorities have urged passengers to check with airlines for the latest updates before heading to airports, as schedules may change.
Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) has temporarily canceled or adjusted several regional flights, including routes to and from Amman, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Doha, Bahrain, Moscow, and Peshawar, in response to regional developments. The airline said the suspension of some flights has been extended until March 6.
Bahrain
Bahrain International Airport said flight operations remain suspended until further notice due to the closure of Bahraini airspace.
The country's flag carrier, Gulf Air, said Friday that its flights are temporarily halted and will resume once authorities confirm the airspace has safely reopened.
Türkiye
Türkiye on Friday extended the cancellations of flights to several Middle Eastern destinations until March 9 due to increasing security risks.
"As of today, flights to Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan by Turkish Airlines, AJet, Pegasus, and SunExpress have been suspended until the end of the day on March 9. Furthermore, Pegasus Airlines has removed flights to Iran from its schedule until March 12, and Turkish Airlines until March 20," the country's Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu said on social media.
Syria
Syrian aviation authorities closed southern air corridors for 12 hours on Feb. 28, then extended the shutdown to the entire national airspace for 24 hours starting March 1.
Following operational and technical assessments, authorities reopened a corridor from Aleppo to the Mediterranean and northern routes toward Türkiye.
In a Thursday statement, the agency said a Syrian Airlines flight from Aleppo to Istanbul departed and arrived safely. Additional flights, including Aleppo to Jeddah, are planned, while routes to Riyadh are under consideration as part of efforts to gradually restore air connectivity.
Iraq
Iraq's airspace has remained closed since Feb. 28. On Wednesday, the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority extended the closure for an additional 72 hours amid ongoing regional tensions.
In a statement, the authority said the extension, effective from 12:00 p.m. local time (0900 GMT) March 4 until 12:00 p.m. March 7, applies to all arriving, departing, and transiting aircraft.
Lebanon
Lebanon's national carrier Middle East Airlines (MEA) is continuing to operate its flights according to schedule despite the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah, with no cancellations or delays reported.
Most foreign airlines have suspended or canceled their flights to Lebanon amid the escalating security situation, leaving MEA as the main carrier maintaining air traffic to and from the country.
Morocco
Morocco's national carrier Royal Air Maroc (RAM) announced the cancellation of several flights to and from the Middle East on Feb. 28., following the closure of multiple airspaces across the region.
On Thursday, RAM announced that its flights from and to Doha are canceled through March 15, citing the situation in the Middle East. ■
