Airlines rerouted or canceled multiple flights early Friday following airstrikes launched by the Zionist entity on targets in Iran, according to data from the flight tracking platform FlightRadar24. Carriers avoided airspace over the Zionist entity, Iran, and Iraq as a precaution to protect passengers and crew.
Ongoing global conflicts are increasingly affecting airline operations and profitability, raising major safety concerns. Aviation risk consultancy Osprey Flight Solutions noted that since 2001, commercial aircraft have been mistakenly shot down, with three narrowly avoiding similar incidents.
On Friday, the Zionist entity confirmed it had struck Iranian nuclear facilities, ballistic missile sites, and senior military figures in what it warned could be a prolonged operation aimed at preventing Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.
Iranian state media also reported that the country’s airspace was closed until further notice. Iraqi authorities followed suit, suspending all flights and closing national airspace early Friday.
Eastern Iraq, near the Iranian border, is among the world’s busiest air corridors, especially for flights between Europe and the Gulf, as well as routes connecting Asia to Europe. Flight tracking data showed aircraft diverting over Central Asia and Saudi Arabia.
Aviation risk monitoring site Safe Airspace, run by OPS Group, warned that “the situation is still developing” and urged airlines to exercise maximum caution across the region.
