In Turkey, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Oraloğlu announced that Turkish airlines, led by Turkish Airlines, have canceled all flights to Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Jordan through Monday, June 16, noting that air routes have been rescheduled to avoid "risky" conditions.
Oraloğlu explained, via the X platform, that the closure of airspace to Israel, Iran, Iraq, and Syria is due to "increased security threats following the Israeli aggression against Iran," stressing that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has taken the necessary measures in coordination with national airlines.
In a related development, Emirates Airlines announced the suspension of its flights to and from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iran, while Abu Dhabi International Airport predicted disruptions to a number of flights. Dubai Airports also confirmed delays or cancellations of some flights departing from Dubai International and Al Maktoum Airports due to the airspace closures over Iran, Iraq, and Syria.
For its part, Qatar Airways has decided to temporarily suspend its flights to both Iran and Iraq. Kuwait's Directorate General of Civil Aviation also announced the "diversion, cancellation, and rescheduling" of a number of flights through Kuwait International Airport.
In Europe, Air France suspended its flights to Tel Aviv "until further notice." A company spokesperson told AFP that the decision came after Israeli airspace was closed, adding that affected passengers could exchange their tickets free of charge. The airline, however, maintained its flights to Lebanon and other countries in the region.
The German Lufthansa Group announced the suspension of its flights to Tehran until July 31, and extended the suspension of its flights to and from Tel Aviv until the same date. In the same context, Swiss International Air Lines, owned by Lufthansa, suspended its flights to Tel Aviv until October 25, and also suspended its flights to Beirut until the end of July.
In Russia, the Civil Aviation Authority Rosaviatsia has recommended that Russian airlines refrain from flying over Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Iran, or using the airports of those countries. This ban will remain in place until June 26 or until further notice.
In India, Air India reported diverting or rerouting 16 flights between India and cities in Europe and North America due to the sudden developments in Iran. FlightAware reported that flights bound for Vienna and London were forced to turn back after entering Iranian airspace during the Israeli attack.
On Friday morning, Israel launched a large-scale airstrike on Iran, involving more than 200 fighter jets. The operation, codenamed "Rising Lion," targeted nuclear facilities and sensitive military sites, assassinating a number of Iranian military leaders and nuclear scientists.
