Amid escalating Israel-Iran war tension, Iraq has shut down its airspace following reports of joint US-Israel strikes on Iran.
Iraq closed its airspace after reported US-Israel strikes on Iran intensified Israel-Iran war tension.
Israel-Iran War Tension: Iraq has closed its airspace to all civilian flights following reports that Israel and US forces carried out strikes against Iran. The Iraqi authorities announced that all flight operations would be suspended because of rising security risks, which followed the reported military activities.
The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority ordered a nationwide air traffic suspension through Iraqi airspace, according to Iraqi news outlets. The move reflects heightened fears of spill-over from the escalating regional confrontation.
The strikes in Iran targeted sites that included locations that Israel considered security threats. The air operations began, which resulted in explosive sounds being heard throughout Tehran and multiple Iranian cities.
Airspace closures have previously caused disruptions to Middle East aviation. In mid-2025, during a previous Israel-Iran conflict, Israel, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, and other neighboring countries closed their skies. The airlines had to cancel or reroute their flights throughout the entire region.
The earlier closure forced major airlines such as Emirates, Lufthansa, and Air India to change their flight paths from Iran and Iraq because the active air routes that connected Europe to the Gulf became extremely dangerous.
The current conflict has caused increasing disruptions to civil aviation operations, according to Iraq's decision. The eastern part of Iraq serves as a crucial flight pathway that connects Asia and Europe with the Gulf region. The shutdown will impact thousands of travelers who use the long-haul services of airlines that operate on that route.
Passengers are likely to face flight cancellations, reroutes, and delays until the situation stabilizes, while airlines monitor safety notices and government advisories to avoid conflict zones.
With regional tensions high and airspaces closing across neighboring countries, the crisis could have longer-term effects on global flight networks and civilian travel, should the conflict escalate further.
