Escalating Tensions: Rosaviatsia Implements Broader Flight Restrictions in the Middle East

Russian civil aviation authorities announced additional restrictions on civilian flights in the Middle East following Iran’s retaliatory rocket attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar.

Rosaviatsia, the Russian aviation authority, issued a directive to commercial airlines and aircraft operators, reaffirming the existing ban on flights to and from airports in Israel and Iran. Additionally, airspace restrictions have been broadened to include Qatar, while Russian flights are already barred from the airspace over Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Iran.

These restrictions, described by Rosaviatsia as a response to the escalating tensions in the Middle East, will remain in effect until at least 3 a.m. Moscow time on Thursday.

The agency stated that this decision was made as a precaution to prioritize flight safety.

On Tuesday, Russia’s Association of Tour Operators reported that some flights from Kuwait and Oman to Russia had been canceled, while flights from Bahrain, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi faced delays of up to three hours due to changed flight paths.

In light of the situation, global airlines have scaled back or suspended their operations in the area after the U.S. targeted three Iranian nuclear facilities on Sunday, leading Iran to launch missiles at the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, with no reported casualties.

In response to the Iranian missile strikes, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain closed their airspace on Monday.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Ministry advised its citizens in Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman to exercise “maximum caution” and to avoid crowded public areas such as shopping malls and transportation hubs.