General · 4 March 2026
2.8m sq km Airspace Gap From Middle East War
The US-Israeli war on Iran, and Tehran's missile and drone attacks, forced airlines to divert flights. This created a 2.8m sq km hole in global airspace as multiple Flight Information Regions closed. Governments issued Notams, leading to thousands of flight cancellations and the closure of major hubs like Dubai international airport. Airlines avoided airspace over Iran, Iraq, and surrounding countries.
Reported by Guardian · How we write briefs