Multiple Flights Going Over Middle East Disrupted After Iran Launches Missile Attack On Israel

International

oi-Gaurav Sharma

Published: Friday, June 13, 2025, 9:45 [IST]

Multiple
flights
going
over
the
Middle
East
were
disrupted
when
Iran
launched
a
missile
attack
on
Israel
on
Friday.
The
airspace
above
several
countries,
including
Iran,
Israel,
Jordan,
and
Iraq,
was
closed.
This
forced
airlines
to
reroute
flights
to
ensure
passenger
and
crew
safety.
European
leaders
have
condemned
the
attack,
and
tensions
are
high
as
the
world
waits
for
Israel’s
response.

Airlines
Divert
Flights

Middle
Eastern
airlines
like
Qatar
Airways
and
Emirates
had
the
most
diversions.
Istanbul
airport
experienced
significant
disruptions
with
19
flights
affected.
FlightRadar24
reported
that
three
Lufthansa
flights
heading
to
India
and
Dubai
turned
back
before
entering
Iranian
airspace,
extending
their
journeys
by
up
to
eight
hours.

A
Swiss
flight
from
Zurich
to
Dubai
diverted
to
Antalya,
Turkey,
just
before
entering
Iranian
airspace.
Emirates
also
faced
disruptions
with
some
flights
diverted
or
cancelled.
A
spokesperson
stated
they
are
monitoring
the
situation
closely
to
minimize
customer
disruption.

Flight
Diversions
Across
Europe

British
Airways
redirected
a
flight
from
London
to
Dubai
to
Larnaca,
Cyprus.
Similarly,
Royal
Jordanian
Airlines
diverted
a
Paris-Amman
flight
and
El
Al
rerouted
a
Rhodes-Tel
Aviv
flight
to
Larnaca
as
well.
British
Airways
emphasized
that
safety
and
security
remain
their
top
priorities.

Middle
East
Airspace
Closures

Some
airspace
restrictions
lifted
later
in
the
day;
however,
Iran
extended
its
closure
anticipating
Israeli
retaliation.
Jordan
and
Iraq
reopened
late
Tuesday
local
time
but
saw
limited
traffic
through
their
skies.

Impact
on
Travellers

Many
European
and
Asian
airlines
use
Middle
Eastern
airspace
for
routes
between
popular
destinations.
Rerouting
increases
flight
times
and
fuel
costs
due
to
ongoing
regional
conflicts.
Iran’s
airspace
is
crucial
for
flights
between
Europe
and
India
or
Southeast
Asia.

During
Israel’s
conflict
with
Hamas
in
Gaza
starting
October
7,
2023,
airlines
altered
routes
around
Tel
Aviv.
Similar
disruptions
occurred
after
Russia
invaded
Ukraine
in
2022
when
airlines
like
Japan
Airlines
and
British
Airways
added
hours
of
flight
time
to
avoid
Russian
airspace.