Israel plans to reopen its airspace later on Sunday after it suspended all rescue and commercial flights on Sunday after U.S. forces carried out overnight strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, prompting a full closure of Israeli airspace and widespread disruption to international air traffic across the Middle East.
El Al and Arkia, Israel's two largest airlines, announced they were halting all evacuation operations and canceling scheduled flights until further notice. El Al said planes already in the air were diverted—one rescue flight from Paris returned to France, while another from Bangkok was redirected to Rome.
Passengers on an Arkia flight from New York to Tel Aviv were disembarked before takeoff. Israir also canceled all planned flights for the day.
"Following government directives, Israel's airspace has been closed. El Al flights are suspended until further notice," the airline said in a statement, adding that flights en route to Israel would be diverted to alternate destinations. "Passenger safety is our top priority," the airline added, stressing that it was operating under instructions from the Defense Ministry and Transportation Ministry.
Mano Maritime's Crown Iris cruise ship, which had been ferrying rescued Israelis from Cyprus, was also delayed from docking at Ashdod Port due to orders from the IDF’s Home Front Command. The company said it was awaiting further guidance and asked customers not to overwhelm call centers, promising updates via official channels.
The disruption came after the U.S. military struck Iranian nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan early Sunday. “We completed a very successful strike on Iran’s three nuclear sites,” said U.S. President Donald Trump. “There is no other military in the world that could have done this. Now is the time for peace.”
Israel's Airports Authority confirmed the closure of national airspace and advised travelers to consult airlines for updates. Land crossings to Egypt and Jordan remain open.
U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement after Iran strikes
(Video: The White House )
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The ripple effect of the strikes was felt across the global aviation industry. According to tracking website FlightRadar24, airlines have been avoiding airspace over Iran, Iraq, Syria and Israel since hostilities escalated on June 13.
Carriers have rerouted flights north over the Caspian Sea or south through Egypt and Saudi Arabia—moves that increase fuel consumption, staffing costs and flight duration. “Following U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, commercial traffic is operating as it has since new airspace restrictions were implemented last week,” FlightRadar24 said.
The heightened risk to commercial aviation from expanding conflict zones has forced multiple governments to act. Japan’s foreign ministry said Sunday it evacuated 21 people—16 of them Japanese citizens—from Iran to Azerbaijan by land, marking its second overland extraction in recent days.
New Zealand announced that it would deploy a Hercules C-130J military transport plane to the region, placing it on standby to evacuate its nationals if needed. The aircraft, along with government personnel, is scheduled to depart Auckland on Monday. Authorities are also coordinating with commercial airlines to explore additional evacuation options.