Middle East Airlines Cancel Flights After US and Israeli Strikes on Iran
Several major international airlines have suspended, cancelled, or rerouted services to and from the Middle East after the United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran on Saturday, targeting the country's capital Tehran among other locations.
British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and Wizz Air are among the carriers that have scaled back their schedules, citing safety concerns over airspace instability in the region. Iranian airspace has been officially closed, and live flight tracking data shows international air traffic broadly avoiding the area.
British Airways cancelled all services to Tel Aviv and Bahrain through to Wednesday, as well as its Saturday route to Amman, Jordan. Virgin Atlantic cancelled a Heathrow to Dubai service and warned that flights to India, Saudi Arabia, and the Maldives would face longer journey times due to enforced rerouting. Wizz Air announced the suspension of all flights to and from Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman through to and including the following Saturday.
Qatar Airways confirmed a temporary halt to operations at its Doha hub following the closure of Qatari airspace, before later announcing that services would resume at 19:00 local time on Sunday. Emirates similarly paused all services to and from Dubai. Heathrow Airport, the United Kingdom's busiest aviation hub, advised passengers to contact their airlines directly for the latest updates.
The conflict escalated rapidly after Iran launched retaliatory strikes against Israel and four Gulf nations hosting United States military installations, namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Qatar's defence ministry confirmed that Iranian missiles had been intercepted, and the UAE similarly reported interceptions. Footage circulating online appeared to show a US facility in Bahrain being struck.
The UK Foreign Office issued urgent guidance to British nationals across the Gulf, instructing those in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE to shelter in place immediately following reports of explosions and air raid sirens. Nationals in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Oman were told to remain vigilant and follow local shelter instructions if issued. The Foreign Office additionally advised against all travel to Israel and the Palestinian territories.
British travellers in the region described scenes of disruption and uncertainty. One passenger due to depart Dubai for London described sitting on the aircraft for over three hours after the flight was grounded without warning. Another British national, a 71-year-old from Northampton holidaying with his family, recounted hearing a tremor and seeing vapour trails in the sky above Qatar's capital, Doha, after receiving an air raid alert while at a shopping centre.
US President Donald Trump cited Iran's failure to agree terms limiting its nuclear programme, as well as broader goals of regime change, among the stated justifications for authorising the strikes.
In London, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer chaired an emergency Cobra security meeting on Saturday in response to the unfolding situation. A government spokesperson stated that the immediate priority was the safety of British nationals abroad and that consular assistance would be made available.
Global Significance and Wider Impact
The strikes represent a dramatic escalation in tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran, with implications that extend well beyond the immediate region. Iran's retaliatory attacks on Gulf states hosting US military forces risk drawing multiple countries directly into the conflict, threatening the stability of key oil-producing and transit nations. The Gulf region is central to global energy supply chains, and any prolonged disruption could affect commodity markets worldwide.
The closure of Iranian airspace and the suspension of flights across the broader Middle East is already creating significant disruption for international aviation, with knock-on effects for travellers, airlines, and freight operators globally. Countries with large diaspora communities in the Gulf, including the United Kingdom, India, and several African nations, face immediate humanitarian and consular challenges.
Geopolitically, the involvement of the United States in direct military action against Iran marks a significant shift in posture and is likely to generate strong international responses, particularly from countries that have sought diplomatic solutions to the Iran nuclear question. The situation remains highly fluid, with the potential for further escalation dependent on the scale and coordination of responses from all parties involved.
