Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon reopen airspace closed over Iran attack on Israel

April 14, 2024 12:12 PM

Iraq reopened its airspace on Sunday hours after suspending all air traffic as neighbouring Iran had launched an unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel, the Iraqi aviation authority announced.

Jordan, which neighbours Iraq as well as Israel, and Lebanon similarly reopened their respective airspace on Sunday, as did Israel which said the Iranian attack had been "foiled" with most launches intercepted overnight.

The Iraqi civil aviation authority announced in a statement "the reopening of the airspace" and resumption of flights to and from airports across the country, saying there were no longer any "security risks to civilian aircraft".

Local Kurdish media in northern Iraq reported that Iranian drones had flown over the autonomous Kurdish region overnight.

In Jordan, civil aviation commission chief Haitham Misto told the official Al Mamlaka channel: "The Jordanian airspace has been reopened and the situation has returned to normal."

Samer Majali, CEO of flag carrier Royal Jordanian, said on Sunday that the airline's flights "have resumed," though some delays can be expected.

Lebanon's Transport Minister Ali Hamie told AFP that "we have resumed flights since 7 am (0400 GMT), and we're monitoring the situation."

The international airport in Beirut "has resumed its work," he added.

Israel, which had closed its airspace since 12:30 am (2130 GMT on Saturday) in anticipation of the Iranian attack, has reopened it by 7:30 am (0430 GMT), the Israeli airports authority said.