Iran has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) warning of planned rocket launches across parts of its southern territory on Thursday, as tensions between Tehran and Washington continue to rise.
The aviation alert, which will be in effect from 3:30 GMT to 13:30 GMT, was published on the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) website on Wednesday.
The Iranian NOTAM comes amid concerns over possible US airstrikes and follows recent Iranian naval activity in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
International media reports, citing the FAA, said the notice alerts pilots and aviation authorities to planned rocket operations in designated areas of southern Iran.
The NOTAM system is used globally to provide flight crews and other airspace users with critical safety information.
The alert was issued just days after Iran conducted naval drills in the Strait of Hormuz and as it prepares for a joint naval exercise with Russia.
The moves coincide with heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington, which has deployed warships near Iranian waters.
On February 17, 2025, Iran announced that it would partially close the Strait of Hormuz for several hours while engaging in discussions with the United States over its disputed nuclear programme.
The US has dispatched a naval battle group to the Gulf in what officials describe as an effort to pressure Tehran into concessions.
Tehran has previously threatened to shut the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping if it comes under attack. Such a move could disrupt nearly a fifth of the world’s oil flows and trigger a sharp rise in global crude prices.
US Vice President JD Vance said Washington was weighing whether to continue diplomatic engagement with Iran or to consider other options, underscoring the uncertainty surrounding the next phase of relations between the two countries.