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More airspaces shut amid Israeli, US attack on Iran, retaliatory missiles
Israel announced on February 28 that it was launching preemptive attacks on the Islamic Republic
- PUBLISHED: Sat 28 Feb 2026, 1:27 PM UPDATED: Sat 28 Feb 2026, 1:46 PM
[Editor's note: Follow Khaleej Times live blog as Israel and US attack Iran]
Three airspaces in the Middle East were shut down on Saturday, following the announcement of preemptive Israeli attacks on Iran and the US saying that it started a major combat operation against the Islamic Republic.
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Israel said that it has decided to close its airspace as it continues its attack on Iran, while Iran announced an immediate shutting of its airspace to civilian flights.
Iraq, which borders Iran, also shut its airspace to all flights until further notice.
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The measures were taken as air traffic in the region faced disruption due to the ongoing attack and retaliatory measures taken by Iran against Israel and US assets in the region.
The UAE has announced a temporary and a partial shutdown of its airspace in light of the situation. Qatar as well said that air traffic will be suspended temporarily.
The Israeli-US attack, coming after Israel and Iran engaged in a 12-day air war in June, follows repeated U.S.-Israeli warnings that they would strike again if Iran pressed ahead with its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. The renewed confrontation between Iran and its long-time foes threatened to further dim hopes for a diplomatic solution to Tehran's nuclear dispute with the West.
In a video message published on social media, US President Donald Trump cited Washington's decades-long dispute with Iran, including the seizure of the 1979 U.S. embassy in Tehran, when students held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days, as well as a range of other attacks the U.S. has blamed on Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution brought the clerics to power.
Kuwait too said that it is shutting its airspace in light of regional developments.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Yasmin Hussein is an Assistant Digital Editor who believes that every news story carries a human element. Her motto is 'get it first, but first get it right'.
