From Lebanon to Qatar, Israel-Iran war disrupts flights, airport traffic: What to know
Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines canceled all flights to Iraq through Thursday as the ongoing Israel-Iran war forces widespread disruptions across Middle East aviation.
Airlines have scrambled to reroute, delay or cancel hundreds of flights across the Middle East on Wednesday and Thursday as the ongoing exchange of Israeli and Iranian strikes triggered airspace closures, rerouted flights and stranded tens of thousands of travelers.
What happened: On Wednesday, Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines (MEA) cancelled all flights to Iraq scheduled for Thursday, June 19, 2025, joining a cascade of global and regional carriers grounding planes or diverting routes away from conflict zones.
While Lebanon’s airspace remains partially open, airlines like Air France, British Airways and Lufthansa have either suspended or rerouted flights from Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport, which remains operational.
Following Israel’s attack on Friday night, regional time, and Iran’s subsequent retaliation, Israel, Iran, Iraq and Syria closed their airspaces. Jordan’s airspace, like Lebanon’s, remains partially open.
