Airlines operating commercial international flights are facing significant disruptions following Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets.
The closure of Iranian airspace, after Israel reportedly attacked Iranian nuclear facilities, has forced multiple international flights to divert, discontinue their journeys, or return to their points of origin, according to media reports.
Data from Flightradar24 shows that airlines have vacated the airspace over Iran, Iraq, and Israel, beginning early Friday morning, after Israel launched drone and missile attacks on Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure.
The flight-tracking platform revealed that the skies over these countries remained virtually empty, as airlines avoided the escalating conflict zones.
A senior official from Biman Bangladesh Airlines told the Times of Bangladesh on Friday that all flights using Middle Eastern routes had been instructed to avoid Iranian and Israeli airspace.
“The rerouting may lead to delays in reaching destinations,” the official said, requesting anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media.
Indian airlines appear to be among the most affected, especially with Pakistani airspace already closed to Indian carriers following last month’s military tensions between India and Pakistan.
According to Hindustan Times, more than 15 Air India international flights were diverted on Friday alone due to the closure of Iranian airspace. Some flights returned to their departure airports.
One such flight was Air India’s AIC129, which departed from Mumbai for London at 5:39 a.m.— 19 minutes behind schedule — but later turned back to Mumbai mid-flight.
Delhi Airport authorities confirmed that operations remain largely smooth.
However, in a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), the airport warned that “with evolving airspace conditions over Iran, Iraq and the neighboring region, some flight schedules have been impacted.”
Passengers were advised to contact their respective airlines for the most current updates and to rely only on official sources for accurate information.
In light of the unfolding events, the Indian Embassy in Tehran issued an advisory for Indian nationals and persons of Indian origin residing in Iran.
“In view of the current situation in Iran, all Indian nationals and persons of Indian origin are requested to remain vigilant, avoid all unnecessary movements, follow the Embassy’s social media accounts, and observe safety protocols as advised by local authorities,” the advisory said.
Airlines across the region are continuing to cancel or reroute flights to ensure the safety of passengers and crew. The increasing frequency of missile and drone attacks has raised concerns about the risks to civil aviation operating near conflict zones.
Following the strikes, Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport was temporarily shut down, and Israel’s air defense systems were placed on high alert amid fears of Iranian retaliation.
Israel’s national carrier, El Al Airlines, confirmed the suspension of its operations to and from the country.
Meanwhile, Iranian state media announced the closure of the country’s airspace until further notice.
On Friday, Israeli authorities said they had targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities, ballistic missile production sites, and key military commanders. They described the attacks as the beginning of a prolonged military operation aimed at preventing Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.