Horn post – Major Airlines Suspend Flights to Middle East Amid Rising U.S.–Iran Tensions.
Several major international airlines suspended flights to parts of the Middle East on Saturday amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, raising concerns over potential regional instability.
Airlines including Air France, Lufthansa, Air Canada, and KLM announced they would halt flights to Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates until Sunday. The suspensions followed media reports suggesting that growing U.S.–Iran tensions could potentially lead to military confrontation.
The Netherlands-based Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM) and Switzerland’s Swiss Air also suspended flights, according to Israel’s I24 television channel, which cited what it described as “unverified reports circulating on airport websites.”
However, Israel’s Ministry of Defense stated late Friday on its official X (formerly Twitter) account that there had been no changes or new instructions issued by the country’s security authorities regarding civilian air travel.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization dismissed online claims, saying:
“Iranian airspace has not been closed, and no alternative or emergency flight routes have been implemented.”
Germany’s Lufthansa had earlier announced that it would suspend flights to Iran until early March, while Austrian Airlines, a subsidiary of Lufthansa, said it would halt flights until mid-February.
The temporary flight suspensions highlight the sensitivity of international aviation to geopolitical developments in the Middle East, as airlines continue to closely monitor security conditions in the region.
Horn post staff reporter
Hargeisa, Somaliland
