Emirates Airlines has announced the cancellation of flights to and from Iraq, Iran, and Jordan for three days, effective October 4-5, 2024, due to escalating regional unrest following a recent Iranian missile strike on Israel.
In a statement, the airline confirmed, “Emirates is cancelling all flights to/from Iraq (Basra and Baghdad), Iran (Tehran), and Jordan (Amman) on 4th and 5th October due to regional unrest.” This decision follows prior cancellations of flights between Dubai and Beirut, which will remain suspended until October 8.
Other airlines have also reacted to the heightened tensions. Qatar Airways has temporarily halted flights to and from Iraq, Iran, and Lebanon, although it has not specified a timeline for resuming services. Additionally, Lufthansa has suspended flights to Beirut until November 30 and to Tel Aviv until October 31.
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The situation escalated on Tuesday when Iran launched approximately 200 missiles towards Israel, some of which traversed Jordanian and Iraqi airspace. Israeli defense systems reportedly intercepted the majority of these missiles, raising concerns of a broader conflict in the region.