Iran, Syria, and Iraq Close Airspace after Israeli Strikes on Iran
Tehran/Damascus/Baghdad: Iran, Syria, and Iraq closed their airspace for all flights yesterday in response to higher regional tensions following intensified Israeli airstrikes on Iranian military sites. This includes civilian, commercial, and non-operational military flights and will be kept closed until the countries decide otherwise, initially scheduled to open again at 9 a.m. on Saturday, but now indefinitely.
The Israeli attacks on strategic military installations in Iran were accompanied by reactions across the social media of Iranians, as citizens aired their fear and apprehension about further escalations by the IDF across the region.
Image collections circulating online show grounded flights in airports across Iran on how the move affects travellers and aviation in the region. The sudden suspension of air travel would inflict heavy losses upon airlines operating in the Middle East.
Flight data show that the distance from Israel to Tehran is about 1,600 kilometers. Since Israeli F-16s can go up to 2,400 km/h and F-35s up to 1,931 km/h, the estimated time of flying from Tehran back into Israeli airspace is approximately 50 minutes. That would be 15-30 minutes more if mid-air refueling is required.