UAE airlines Emirates and flydubai have cancelled flights due to "regional unrest" amid escalating tensions i🌌n the Middle East. Both airlines have sꦦuspended all flights from Dubai to Iraq, Iran, and Jordan.
Additionally, Emirates cancelled flights on Thursday to the UK, Oman, an🔯d Kuwait. The airline later announced further cancellations of flights to and from Iraq, Iran, and Jordan on Friday and Saturday.
These diꦗsruptions, which began on Wednesday, follow reports from the Israeli military that nearly 200 missileꦚs were fired from Iran into Israel.
Flights to Beirut, Lebanon, have also been impacted. Emira🌳tes has extended the suspension of services to and from the city until Tuesday, wh♋ile flydubai's suspension will last until Monday.
Passengers on these routes are advised to ꦇkeep an eye on flight updates and be ready for potential last-minute🦋 changes.
In a travel update, Emirates stated, “Customers transiting through Dubai with final destinations in Iraq, Iran, and Jordan will not be accepted for travel🍨 at their point of origin until further notice.”
“We c♎ontinue to closely monitor the situation in the region and are in contact with the relevant authorities regarding developments,” the airlines said.
The region is experiencing one of its most dangerous periods in history following Israel's invasion of southern Lebanon, which has resulted in over 1,000 deaths and strikes on densely populated areas, in🔯cludin𝓡g Beirut.
While Israel claims to be targeting Hezbollah, its att꧙acks have also hit a medical center, killing paramedics, and have resulted ❀in the deaths of dozens of children across Lebanon. Many, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres, are concerned that Israel's incursion into Lebanon could escalate into "another Gaza," where more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed.
Iran stated that its missile strikes were in retaliation for the assassination of Hezbollah 𒈔leader Hassan Nasrallah and Revolutionary Guard General Abbas ꦿNilforushan.
On Tuesday evening, the skies were illuminated by dozens of missi🌺les. However, Israel's Iron Dome defense system intercepted many of them, with🧸 only one fatality reported — a Palestinian man killed by shrapnel.
Despite international pleas to de-escalate the situation, Israeli authorities have pledged to respond. The rising tensio🍃ns now cast doubt on the safety of flight 🍎routes across the region.
FlightRadar reported that 81 flights were diverted by 16 aജirlines on Tuesday following Iran♑’s missile attack.
In response to the rising tensions, Russia ha🐻s restricted flights to Israel,♊ Iraq, and Iran during specific times.
Popular tourist destinations like Jordan, home to sites such as Petra and Wadi Rum, are located between Israel and Iran. Flight routes in the aಞrea could face disruptions if further attacks occur, potentially leading to airspace closures.
Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest, handles thousands of flights weekly, including many to Middle Eastern airports. The ongoing conflict has already impacted tourism across the region, with many travelers reconsidering t🌟he safety of their upcoming tr♕ips.
