DUBAI : Etihad Airways, the UAE’s national carrier, canceled two scheduled flights between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv and delayed four others, citing “operational disruptions” linked to overnight Israeli strikes on Iranian targets. The attacks, reportedly aimed at nuclear sites, missile production facilities, and key military leaders, triggered swift responses across the aviation sector.

Dubai-based flydubai suspended flights to five major regional destinations—Amman, Beirut, Damascus, Iran, and Israel—while several of its planes were rerouted or forced to return mid-air as safety measures intensified.

Flight tracker data from Flightradar24 revealed a mass exodus of aircraft from the airspace above Israel, Iran, and Iraq following the strikes, with commercial pilots reporting sightings of missile activity and drone interceptions from their cockpits.

Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv was shut down until further notice, while Iran closed its airspace entirely. Iraq followed suit by suspending operations at all of its airports temporarily.

International carriers, including Emirates, Lufthansa, and Air India, scrambled to reroute affected flights. One Emirates flight from Manchester diverted to Istanbul, and a flydubai flight from Belgrade landed in Yerevan, Armenia, instead of continuing toward its original route.

The surge in military action marks a dangerous new phase in the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which reignited in October 2023 and has since escalated into broader regional instability. The latest Israeli offensive is being described by officials as the beginning of a sustained campaign against Iran’s military infrastructure.

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