Airspace Reopened in Middle East Following Iranian Drone Attack on Israel

Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, and Israel have reopened their airspaces following a temporary closure due to an Iranian drone attack on Israel. This escalation occurred after an April 1 Israeli airstrike on an Iranian embassy building in Damascus, which resulted in the deaths of several members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi.

The airspace closures began with Israel shutting down its airspace from late April 14 until the morning of April 15, citing military activity. Similarly, Jordan halted flights for three hours on April 13, with around 40 flights affected by diversions, cancellations, or delays. The Jordanian Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission attributed the closure to rising geopolitical tensions in the region, which have also led to significant GPS interference in Jordanian and Lebanese skies.

Iraq followed suit, closing its airspace for several hours late on April 14, reopening early the next morning as the perceived threats subsided. Lebanon also saw brief airspace closure, resuming flights on the morning of April 15.

During this period, Kuwait Airways took precautionary measures by diverting flights away from the affected regions. Meanwhile, Iran imposed restrictions on VFR (Visual Flight Rules) operations within its airspace, limiting it to military, emergency, and other pre-approved flights, although commercial air traffic has continued with certain airlines choosing alternative routes to avoid the area.

These incidents have led to heightened tensions and a cautious approach to air travel in the region, impacting numerous commercial flights and altering international flight routes temporarily.