US-Israel-Iran war: Flights grounded, embassies issue alerts
Shafaq News- Middle East
Airlines suspended flights and embassies issued fresh advisories across the Middle East on Saturday as the conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran escalated.
Airspace across the region closed following US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s missile retaliation. Nearly 40% of Israel-bound flights and about 7% across the wider region were cancelled, international industry data showed. Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, Bahrain, Qatar, and Jordan shut their skies, diverting traffic toward Cyprus, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.
Dubai Airports halted operations at Dubai International and Al-Maktoum until further notice. Emirates and flydubai suspended services, while Etihad paused departures from Abu Dhabi and redirected inbound flights. Qatar Airways and Kuwait Airways also stopped operations.
Syrian Airlines cancelled all flights to and from Damascus and Aleppo and urged passengers not to travel to the airports.
British Airways cancelled Tel Aviv, Bahrain, and Amman routes. Lufthansa suspended Dubai, Tel Aviv, Beirut, and Oman services. Air France, KLM, and Iberia dropped Tel Aviv flights, while Wizz Air halted Israel and Gulf routes. Russian carriers stopped Iran and Israel services, Air India and IndiGo paused multiple Middle East routes, and Virgin Atlantic rerouted aircraft to avoid Iraqi airspace.
— UK in Iraq 🇬🇧🇮🇶 (@UKinIraq) February 28, 2026
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency advised airlines to avoid affected airspace.
Meanwhile, the British Embassy in Baghdad urged nationals to monitor official guidance and remain in contact with airlines. Reuters also reported that the US Embassy in Beirut advised its citizens to leave Lebanon.
