Airspace Shutdowns Leave Thousands Stranded as Israel-Iran Conflict Spreads

The ongoing military confrontation between Israel and Iran has severely disrupted air travel across the Middle East, leaving thousands of passengers stranded amid growing security concerns. 

Image Source: Iranian News on X

As per the Associated Press, Israeli airstrikes targeting Iranian military and nuclear facilities since Friday have prompted widespread airspace closures in several countries, amplifying the humanitarian fallout of the conflict.

Iran has suspended all flights at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport and other major hubs after multiple Israeli strikes hit key installations near the capital, including a nuclear enrichment facility close to Qom. 

Meanwhile, Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport remains shut, with over 50,000 Israeli nationals stranded overseas and many diverted to Cyprus’ Larnaca airport, where limited operations continue.

Iraq, located along the flight path of both Israeli and Iranian missiles, has entirely closed its airspace. Some Iraqi students trapped in Iran have resorted to overland routes to return home, crossing the border by paying drivers despite ongoing air raids. Neighboring Syria, which had recently resumed limited flight operations, has once again shut down its airports due to the hostilities.

Elsewhere, Indian students remain stuck in university hostels across Iran, while travel disruptions continue in Lebanon and Jordan where airlines have suspended or reduced flight schedules. 

Aviation safety experts cited by the Associated Press warn that the ripple effects of these closures are extensive, with aircraft, crews, and passengers displaced across the region, generating significant logistical and financial complications.

The rapid escalation of violence has also placed immense pressure on civilian infrastructure. Authorities have suspended commercial and passenger traffic at several airports during peak summer travel season. This has led to the creation of severe congestion and delaying repatriation efforts for foreign nationals trapped in the conflict zone.