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Iran attack on Israel disrupts flight schedules for major Arab airlines

A graphical representation of air traffic shows airspace over Iran and the neighbouring Middle East at 0000 GMT, April 7, 2024. PHOTO/ Flightradar24.Com/Handout via REUTERS 

What you need to know:

  • Etihad Airways cancelled services to Tel Aviv and Amman on Sunday.
  • The attack spurred similar announcements from Lebanon, Egypt and Kuwait following several Arab countries announcing the temporary closure of their airspaces.

Major airlines across the Middle East announced the cancellation of some of their flights, while having to reroute others, after Iran launched dozens of drones and missiles at Israel through Saturday night into Sunday.

Etihad Airways cancelled services to Tel Aviv and Amman on Sunday.

Emirates Airlines also cancelled some of its fights and rerouted others due to temporary airspace closures in the region from the late evening of Saturday to Sunday morning.

However, the Dubai-based airline was resuming scheduled operations to and from Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq from Sunday afternoon, a spokesperson said in a statement.

"Some of our flights have been affected by the temporary closure of a number of airspaces in the region," a statement from the United Arab Emirate's Fly Dubai was quoted on state news agency WAM as saying.

The attack spurred similar announcements from Lebanon, Egypt and Kuwait following several Arab countries announcing the temporary closure of their airspaces.

Israeli airlines, meanwhile, said operations were returning to normal on Sunday after Israel reopened its airspace as of 7:30 a.m.