Airlines halt many Mideast flights as Zionists hit Iran
Airlines halt many Mideast flights as Zionists hit Iran
Air India diverts, calls back 16 flights • Emirates, Qatar Airways cancel flights
PARIS: Global airlines have cancelled flights to Tel Aviv, Tehran and other Middle East destinations, or rerouted planes, as airspaces were shut off following Zionist strikes on Iran. Zionist entity, Iran, Iraq, Jordan and Syria closed their airspaces after Zionists hit military and nuclear facilities in Iran. Zionist entity said Tehran launched drones in retaliation. Air India's New Delhi-Vienna and Mumbai-London flights were about to enter Iranian airspace when Zionist entity launched its attack, forcing the planes to turn back to their origin, according to aircraft tracker Flight Aware.
Its London-New Delhi flight had just entered Iranian airspace and was rerouted over Iraq before arriving in India one hour late, according to Flight Aware. Air India diverted or called back a total of 16 flights between India and London and cities in Canada and the United States 'due to the emerging situation in Iran'. Emirates, the Middle East's largest airline, cancelled flights to and from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Iran after Zionist entity launched the strikes. Qatar Airways, the country's national carrier and one of the Middle East's largest, said it had 'temporarily cancelled flights to Iran and Iraq due to (the) current situation in the region'.
Air France said it was suspending its flights to and from Tel Aviv 'until further notice' following the closure of Zionist airspace. 'Air France is closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East in real time,' a spokesman for the French airline told AFP, adding that 'the safety of its customers and crews is its absolute priority'. US carrier Delta Air Lines said it is pausing service between New York's John F Kennedy airport and Tel Aviv through August 31 'in response to the ongoing conflict in the region.'
United Airlines, another US carrier, said service between its Newark, New Jersey hub and Tel Aviv is paused. United arranged for 26 crew members who are on layover to return to the United States on El Al. One of United's Tel Aviv flights was canceled Thursday night while the other returned to Newark, the company said. Russia's aviation authority Rosaviatsiya instructed Russian airlines not to fly 'in the airspace of Zionist entity, Jordan, Iraq and Iran' or use airports in Zionist entity and Iran. It said the restrictions will stay in place until June 26 or until further notice.
German airline group Lufthansa suspended flights to and from Tehran until July 31. It also extended the suspension of Tel Aviv flights for the same period. Swiss airline, which is owned by Lufthansa, suspended its Tel Aviv flights until October 25 while those to Beirut were suspended until the end of July. In the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi airport warned 'flight disruptions are expected through today (Friday)' as a result of the Zionist strikes. Dubai's airport also announced flight delays and cancellations due to the closure of airspaces in Iran, Iraq and Syria. —AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab Times
4 hours ago
- Arab Times
What We Know: Iran-Israel Conflict, Military Targets And Civilian Casualties
DUBAI, June 17: In a swift and deadly escalation, Israel has launched one of its most intense and coordinated military operations against Iran in recent memory, killing several of the Islamic Republic's top military and nuclear officials and striking more than 250 targets across the country in just four days. Iran, for its part, responded with a wave of missile and drone attacks aimed at Israeli cities, causing civilian casualties but failing to inflict damage on the Israeli military infrastructure. Precision Strikes Decimate Iran's Military Elite On June 13, Israel initiated Operation Rising Lion, deploying more than 200 fighter jets in a surprise assault on strategic Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure. Among those killed were some of the highest-ranking figures in Iran's defense establishment. Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was reportedly killed in Tehran alongside Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, the chief of Iran's armed forces. In what observers have called a 'decapitation strike,' the offensive also eliminated Maj. Gen. Gholam Ali Rashid and Brig. Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the head of IRGC's Aerospace Force, is responsible for Iran's missile programs. Israel also targeted the country's nuclear elite. Among the dead were former atomic energy chief Fereydoon Abbasi-Davani, senior nuclear physicist Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, and engineering academic Ahmadreza Zolfaghari Daryani. Iranian authorities confirmed their deaths following missile strikes on academic and military complexes. In a second wave of strikes on June 15, Israeli drones reportedly destroyed the headquarters of the IRGC's intelligence unit, killing both Brig. Gen. Mohammad Kazemi, the head of the IRGC's intelligence organization, and his deputy, Hassan Mohaqeq. Their deaths were considered a severe blow to Iran's internal and external surveillance operations. Then, just two days later, Maj. Gen. Ali Shadmani, appointed as chief of staff following Bagheri's death, was also killed in a missile attack, underscoring the sweeping nature of Israel's offensive. Iran Responds with Retaliatory Barrage Iran's response came swiftly but with limited strategic effect. Throughout three nights, it launched hundreds of ballistic missiles and armed drones toward Israel. Iranian projectiles struck multiple cities, including Tel Aviv, Haifa, Petah Tikva, Rehovot, Bat Yam, and Kiryat Ekron, with many missiles intercepted mid-air by Israel's missile defense network. A missile that evaded interception struck an apartment block in Petah Tikva, killing four civilians. In Haifa, another direct hit left several dead and wounded. Elsewhere, infrastructure, including shopping malls, labs at the Weizmann Institute, and residential areas, sustained damage. However, the Israeli military confirmed that its layered defense systems — Iron Dome, David's Sling, and Arrow — intercepted over 99% of incoming threats. No Israeli airbase or missile defense facility was significantly damaged, according to officials. The Motive Behind the Firestorm Israel's dramatic escalation appears to have been sparked by Iran's alleged advancement in uranium enrichment and recent drone activity against Israeli interests in Syria and the Gulf. Analysts say the assassination of top generals and scientists aimed to 'paralyze Iran's strategic command' and set back its nuclear program by years. For Iran, the barrage of missiles was as much a show of resilience as it was retaliation. Tehran framed the strikes as justified defense, but its inability to hit critical Israeli military targets highlighted its limited strategic options. A Region on the Edge This latest confrontation, unfolding in less than a week, has left both nations bracing for more. The international community, led by the UN Security Council, has urged restraint as fears grow that regional proxies — including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iranian-backed militias in Iraq — could enter the fray. As of now, Israel has declared its key objectives 'achieved,' but has not ruled out further operations. Iran has promised 'unrelenting revenge.' In capitals across the Middle East, embassies are on alert and citizens have been urged to shelter.
Kuwait Times
8 hours ago
- Kuwait Times
Airlines halt many Mideast flights as Zionists hit Iran
Airlines halt many Mideast flights as Zionists hit Iran Air India diverts, calls back 16 flights • Emirates, Qatar Airways cancel flights PARIS: Global airlines have cancelled flights to Tel Aviv, Tehran and other Middle East destinations, or rerouted planes, as airspaces were shut off following Zionist strikes on Iran. Zionist entity, Iran, Iraq, Jordan and Syria closed their airspaces after Zionists hit military and nuclear facilities in Iran. Zionist entity said Tehran launched drones in retaliation. Air India's New Delhi-Vienna and Mumbai-London flights were about to enter Iranian airspace when Zionist entity launched its attack, forcing the planes to turn back to their origin, according to aircraft tracker Flight Aware. Its London-New Delhi flight had just entered Iranian airspace and was rerouted over Iraq before arriving in India one hour late, according to Flight Aware. Air India diverted or called back a total of 16 flights between India and London and cities in Canada and the United States 'due to the emerging situation in Iran'. Emirates, the Middle East's largest airline, cancelled flights to and from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Iran after Zionist entity launched the strikes. Qatar Airways, the country's national carrier and one of the Middle East's largest, said it had 'temporarily cancelled flights to Iran and Iraq due to (the) current situation in the region'. Air France said it was suspending its flights to and from Tel Aviv 'until further notice' following the closure of Zionist airspace. 'Air France is closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East in real time,' a spokesman for the French airline told AFP, adding that 'the safety of its customers and crews is its absolute priority'. US carrier Delta Air Lines said it is pausing service between New York's John F Kennedy airport and Tel Aviv through August 31 'in response to the ongoing conflict in the region.' United Airlines, another US carrier, said service between its Newark, New Jersey hub and Tel Aviv is paused. United arranged for 26 crew members who are on layover to return to the United States on El Al. One of United's Tel Aviv flights was canceled Thursday night while the other returned to Newark, the company said. Russia's aviation authority Rosaviatsiya instructed Russian airlines not to fly 'in the airspace of Zionist entity, Jordan, Iraq and Iran' or use airports in Zionist entity and Iran. It said the restrictions will stay in place until June 26 or until further notice. German airline group Lufthansa suspended flights to and from Tehran until July 31. It also extended the suspension of Tel Aviv flights for the same period. Swiss airline, which is owned by Lufthansa, suspended its Tel Aviv flights until October 25 while those to Beirut were suspended until the end of July. In the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi airport warned 'flight disruptions are expected through today (Friday)' as a result of the Zionist strikes. Dubai's airport also announced flight delays and cancellations due to the closure of airspaces in Iran, Iraq and Syria. —AFP
Kuwait Times
8 hours ago
- Kuwait Times
Zionists grapple with damage from Iran strike
(Ledt) Responders work amid building rubble following a strike by an Iranian missile in the Zionist city of Bat Yam, south of Tel Aviv, early on June 15, 2025. (Right) A resident checks the destruction following an overnight Iranian missile strike in Rohovot in the Zionist entity's centre on June 15, 2025. - AFP photos BAT YAM: A shocked Julia Zilbergoltz said she had never experienced anything like the Iranian missile strike that hit her home in the Zionist entity early Sunday. 'I'm stressed and in shock. I've been through hard times in my life, but I've never been in a situation like this,' Zilbergoltz told AFP, as she gathered her belongings and left her apartment building in Bat Yam, near the coastal city of Tel Aviv. 'I was at home, I was sleeping and I didn't hear the siren' warning of an incoming missile attack, she said. She was awoken instead by the loud booms that followed. According to Zionist officials, six people including two children were killed in the strike that destroyed Zilbergoltz's home. Yivgenya Dudka, whose home was also hit by the missile on the city of Bat Yam, said: 'Everything was destroyed. There's nothing left. No house. That's it.' In the Zionist entity's north, four people were killed earlier when a strike hit the town of Tamra, taking to 13 the death toll in the country since the start of the attacks began on Friday. Zionist television channels broadcast footage of devastation from four sites where missiles struck in the early hours of Sunday. Tel Aviv and the nearby city of Rishon Lezion were also hit by missiles from Iran, after Zionist fighter jets carried out strikes that hit military and nuclear sites as well as residential areas in the Islamic republic. According to data shared by the prime minister's office, missiles hit some 22 locations across the Zionist entity. 'I feel very bad. I'm very worried and stressed. I'm in agony for all the dead we have and all the injured people,' said Riky Cohen, a writer from Tel Aviv. But Cohen said she was also 'very worried' that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government might 'continue the war even though it's not necessary'. In Bat Yam, Mayor Tzvika Brot said in a Facebook post that the missile had caused 'great destruction and damage to dozens of buildings'. In addition to the deaths, Brot said that more than 100 people were injured and others remained trapped under the rubble. 'Teams from the Home Front Command have been working here for several hours now, and will remain here until they find them,' he said. Shahar Ben Zion, who was trying to clean up the damage to his home in Bat Yam, said it was 'a miracle we survived'. 'I didn't want to go down (to the shelter). My mother convinced me... there was an explosion and I thought the whole house had collapsed,' he said. 'Thank God, it was a miracle we survived.' — AFP
