Syria shuts southern airspace, suspends Damascus flights amid escalation

WEB DESK: The Syrian Civil Aviation Authority has announced the temporary closure of all southern air routes and suspended flight operations at Damascus International Airport for 12 hours, following a sudden spike in regional military tensions.

The decision comes in the wake of an Iranian missile attack targeting Israel on Sunday night, which triggered a series of precautionary airspace closures across several Middle Eastern nations, including neighbouring Iraq, according to Anadolu Agency.

Precautionary measures

According to a statement issued by the civil aviation authority, the restriction on Syria’s southern air corridors took effect at 11:00pm local time on Sunday and is scheduled to remain in place until 11:00am on Monday.

Officials stated that the measures were implemented in light of “recent regional developments” and were based on ongoing safety and technical evaluations conducted by the country’s specialised risk management committee.

The primary objective of the shutdown is to ensure the safety of civil navigation and commercial flights in accordance with international aviation standards.

Regional disruptions

The airspace closure has effectively halted all operational activities at Damascus International Airport, leaving hundreds of travellers stranded and forcing international airlines to reroute flights away from the Eastern Mediterranean and Levant corridors.

The aviation lockdown was echoed in Iraq, where authorities ordered a comprehensive 72-hour closure of national airspace due to similar security threats.

Meanwhile, Iran has also restricted flights over the western parts of its territory, as regional powers brace for potential retaliatory strikes.