International airlines are experiencing the largest disruptions in air traffic since the September 11, 2021 terrorist attacks in the United States. The reason is Iranʼs attack on Israel and the temporary closure of airspace by several countries. This has significantly narrowed the route options for aircraft traveling between Europe and Asia.
Reuters writes about it.
At least ten major airlines have canceled flights or rescheduled flights in the past two days, including Qantas, Lufthansa, United Airlines and Air India.
In a comment to the agency, the founder of Opsgroup, which monitors airspace and airports, Mark Zee, said that since the terrorist attack in 2001, the world had not seen such a situation when so many different airspaces were closed so quickly, and this created chaos. He suggested that the disruptions would continue for several more days.
Airlines used Iranʼs airspace for flights between Europe and Asia, but now they have to limit themselves to two alternative routes: either via Turkey or via Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
What is happening between Iran and Israel
On the morning of April 1, there was an attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus. Then two Iranian generals and five officers were killed, including the influential Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, the senior commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iran blamed Israel for the attack.
After the strike, Iranʼs Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei declared that "the Zionist regime will be punished." Khameneiʼs military adviser later threatened that none of Israelʼs embassies were "secure anymore."
Late in the evening of April 13б Iran attacked Israel with hundreds of missiles and Shahed kamikaze drones. The Israeli army said that 99% of the targets were shot down. These are 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles and 120 ballistic missiles. Some rockets hit the Nevatim airbase in the south of the country, but the damage there is minor. Most of the targets were shot down over Iraq and Jordan. US and British fighter jets helped Israel repel the air defense attack. France also helped, but it is not yet known what exactly.
Western media reports that Israel has abandoned an immediate retaliatory strike against Iran after US President Joe Bidenʼs conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The US leader clearly stated that he is against the escalation of a major conflict and that America will not support Israel in the event of military action against Iran.