Arab States Close Airspace Amid Iranian Strike on US Base in Qatar
People walk near a mural of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, amid the Iran-Israel conflict, in Tehran, Iran, June 23, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
ISTANBUL, June 24 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- Several Arab nations temporarily closed their airspace late Monday as a precautionary measure amid heightened tensions in the region following an Iranian missile strike on a United States (US) military base in Qatar, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry announced the closure of its airspace, citing the need to safeguard the safety of citizens, residents, and visitors amid escalating regional volatility.
Bahrain's Civil Aviation Affairs Department similarly confirmed a suspension of air navigation over the kingdom in response to unfolding developments.
bootstrap slideshow
In Kuwait, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation ordered a temporary airspace closure, prompting Kuwait Airways to suspend all flights.
Iraq's Ministry of Transport also closed national airspace, including southern regions, halting all inbound and outbound air traffic.
Oman Air, in a statement, said it had suspended flights to and from Manama, Dubai, Doha, and Kuwait due to the regional situation. The airline warned of potential delays across its wider network due to extended flight paths.
EgyptAir, meanwhile, announced the cancellation of its services between Cairo and various Gulf cities, stating that operations would resume only once the security situation improves.
The wave of airspace closures came after Iran launched a barrage of missiles at the US military's Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Monday.
The strike followed an earlier US offensive on Sunday targeting three of Iran's nuclear facilities --Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan -- marking a dramatic intensification of hostilities.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
34 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Asia in the crosshairs: Strait of Hormuz chokehold threatens energy lifeline for China, India, Japan
TOKYO, June 24 — Around 84 per cent of oil passing through the Strait of Hormuz is destined for Asia, leaving the economies of China, India, South Korea and others vulnerable should Iran blockade the crucial trading route over US strikes on its nuclear sites. Around 14.2 million barrels of crude oil and 5.9 million barrels of other petroleum products pass through the strait per day — representing around 20 per cent of global production in the first quarter, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). And crude oil from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and Iran almost exclusively passes through the corridor. Here are the main Asian countries where oil exported via the strait is destined: China More than half of the oil imported by East Asia passes through the Strait of Hormuz, experts estimate. China is one of the largest buyers, importing 5.4 million barrels of crude oil a day through Hormuz in the first quarter this year, according to the EIA. Saudi Arabia is China's second-largest supplier of crude oil, accounting for 15 per cent of its total oil imports — 1.6 million barrels a day. China also buys more than 90 per cent of Iran's oil exports, according to the analysis firm Kpler. It imported 1.3 million barrels of Iranian crude oil a day in April, down from a five-month high in March. India India is highly dependent on the Strait of Hormuz, importing 2.1 million barrels of crude a day through the corridor in the first quarter, EIA data shows. Around 53 per cent of India's imported oil in early 2025 came from Middle Eastern suppliers, particularly Iraq and Saudi Arabia, local media reported. Wary of an escalating conflict in the Middle East, New Delhi has increased its imports of Russian oil over the past three years. 'We have been closely monitoring the evolving geopolitical situation in the Middle East since the past two weeks,' India's Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri said on Sunday. 'We have diversified our supplies in the past few years and a large volume of our supplies do not come through the Strait of Hormuz now,' he wrote on X, adding 'We will take all necessary steps to ensure stability of supplies of fuel to our citizens.' South Korea Around 68 per cent of South Korea's crude oil imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz — 1.7 million barrels a day this year, according to the EIA. South Korea is particularly dependent on its main supplier Saudi Arabia, which last year accounted for a third of its oil imports. Seoul's trade and energy ministry said there have been 'no disruptions so far in South Korea's crude oil and LNG imports' but 'given the possibility of a supply crisis', officials were 'planning for potential disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz'. 'The government and industry stakeholders have prepared for emergencies by maintaining a strategic petroleum reserve equivalent to about 200 days of supply,' the ministry said in a statement. Japan Japan imports 1.6 million barrels of crude oil a day through the Strait of Hormuz, the EIA says. Japanese customs data showed 95 per cent of crude oil imports last year came from the Middle East. The country's energy freight companies are readying for a potential blockade of the strait. 'We're currently taking measures to shorten as much as possible the time spent by our vessels in the Gulf,' shipping giant Mitsui OSK told AFP. Others Around 2 million barrels of crude oil passing through the Strait of Hormuz each day in the first quarter were destined for other parts of Asia — particularly Thailand and the Philippines — as well as Europe (0.5 million barrels) and the United States (0.4 million barrels). Limited alternatives Asian countries could diversify their oil suppliers, but it is difficult to replace the large volumes coming from the Middle East. In the short term, 'elevated global oil inventories, Opec+'s available spare capacity, and US shale production all could provide some buffer', experts at MUFG Bank said. 'However, a full closure of the Hormuz Strait would still impact on the accessibility of a major part of this spare production capacity concentrated in the Persian Gulf,' they said. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have infrastructure to bypass the strait, potentially mitigating disruptions, but their transit capacity remains very limited — around 2.6 million barrels a day. And the Goreh-Jask pipeline built by Iran to export via the Gulf of Oman, which has been inactive since last year, has a maximum capacity of only 300,000 barrels per day, according to the EIA. — AFP
The Sun
38 minutes ago
- The Sun
Iran signals halt to strikes if Israel stops
TEHRAN: Iran's foreign minister said Tuesday Tehran did not intend to continue its strikes if Israel stopped its attacks, hours after US President Donald Trump announced a staggered ceasefire to bring about an 'official end' to their conflict. Abbas Araghchi suggested that Iran had already halted its operation at 4am Tehran time (0030 GMT) -- and wanted a simultaneous end in attacks from Israel as well. Trump had said the ceasefire would be a phased 24-hour process beginning at around 0400 GMT Tuesday, with Iran unilaterally halting all operations. Israel would follow suit 12 hours later. 'It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE,' Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. 'Upon the 24th hour, an official end to the 12-day war will be saluted by the world,' he said, adding that both sides had agreed to remain 'peaceful and respectful' during each phase of the process. Any cessation in hostilities would come as a huge relief to world leaders frantic about an escalation in violence igniting a wider conflagration. There was no immediate confirmation from Israel on ending the conflict that has killed hundreds in Iran and two dozen in Israel. Explosions continued to rock Tehran overnight, with blasts in the north and centre of the Iranian capital described by AFP journalists as some of the strongest since the conflict broke out. Writing on social media, Araghchi said: 'The military operations of our powerful Armed Forces to punish Israel for its aggression continued until the very last minute, at 4am.' 'As of now, there is NO 'agreement' on ceasefire or cessation of military operations. However, provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no later than 4 am Tehran time, we have no intention to continue our response afterwards,' he added. The adversaries had been swapping missile fire since Israel carried out surprise 'preemptive' strikes against Iran on June 13, targeting nuclear and military sites, and prompting Trump to warn of a possible 'massive' regional conflict. - Strikes on US base - The US leader's truce announcement came hours after Iran launched missiles at the largest US military facility in the Middle East -- Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar -- in a move Trump shrugged off as 'very weak.' Calling for a de-escalation, Trump said Tehran had given advance notice of the barrage. Iran's National Security Council confirmed having targeted the base 'in response to the US aggressive and insolent action against Iran's nuclear sites and facilities'. But it added that the number of missiles launched 'was the same as the number of bombs that the US had used' -- a signal that it had calibrated its response to be directly proportional rather than escalatory. 'This was calibrated and telegraphed in a way that would not result in any American casualties, so that there is an off ramp for both sides,' Ali Vaez, a senior advisor at the International Crisis Group, told AFP. The offensive came after the United States joined its ally Israel's military campaign against Iran, attacking an underground uranium enrichment centre with massive bunker-busting bombs and hitting two other nuclear facilities overnight Saturday into Sunday. As international concern mounted that Israel's campaign and the US strikes could ignite a wider conflict, French President Emmanuel Macron insisted that 'the spiral of chaos must end' while China warned of the potential economic fallout. - 'Blatant aggression' - Iran said its assault in Qatar wasn't targeting the Middle Eastern neighbour, but the government in Doha accused Tehran of 'blatant aggression' and claimed its right to a 'proportional' response. Iran's state media quoted the Revolutionary Guard Corps announcing that six missiles had hit Al Udeid, which had been evacuated beforehand, according to the Qataris. The broadside was made up of 'short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles,' a US defence official said. AFP reporters heard blasts in central Doha and in Lusail, north of the capital, on Monday evening, and saw projectiles moving across the night sky. Iranians gathered in central Tehran to celebrate, images on state TV showed, with some waving the flag of the Islamic republic and chanting 'Death to America'. Qatar earlier announced the temporary closure of its airspace in light of 'developments in the region', while the US embassy and other foreign missions warned their citizens to shelter in place. Israeli strikes on Iran have killed more than 400 people, Iran's health ministry has said. Twenty-four people have died in Iran's attacks on Israel, according to official figures.
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Iran says 'no agreement' yet on ceasefire with Israel
WASHINGTON (Bernama-Anadolu): Iran's foreign minister said early Tuesday (June 24) that, as of now, there is "no agreement" on any ceasefire between Iran and Israel, Anadolu Ajansi reported. "As Iran has repeatedly made clear: Israel launched war on Iran, not the other way around. As of now, there is NO 'agreement' on any ceasefire or cessation of military operations," Abbas Araghchi said on X. His remarks came after US President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Iran had agreed to a "complete and total" ceasefire amid the rising conflict in the Middle East. "However, provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no later than 4am Tehran time, we have no intention to continue our response afterwards. "The final decision on the cessation of our military operations will be made later," Araghchi said. - Bernama -Anadolu As Iran has repeatedly made clear: Israel launched war on Iran, not the other way around. As of now, there is NO "agreement" on any ceasefire or cessation of military operations. However, provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no… — Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) June 24, 2025
