Middle East Airspace – Current Operational Picture

13 April Update:

The central Middle East corridor is still largely shut, but it’s no longer a simple “open vs closed” picture.

Iran and Kuwait remain the only FIRs that are clearly closed. Iran is closed to normal commercial traffic, with only limited categories of flights operating under prior approval. Kuwait is also issuing new Notams each day closing its airspace, so it’s not usable for planning.

Across the rest of the Gulf, several FIRs are technically open, but only in a very controlled way:

Qatar: Closed to overflights. Only approved arrivals and departures are allowed via specific entry and exit points, and everything is tightly managed. In practice, this means Qatar is not functioning as a normal hub – only selected traffic is getting in and out, and routings are fixed.

UAE: Partially open but running a strict corridor system. Traffic is being funnelled through specific routes depending on the airport, and overflights are limited to a single westbound flow. Airlines are using it, but in a very controlled way – this isn’t free-flowing airspace, and approvals and routing constraints are part of every flight.

Bahrain: Open again, but everything requires prior approval. It has also seen short-notice full closures over the past couple of weeks, so treat it as usable only with coordination, not something you can depend on tactically.

Iraq: Technically open again, with no current FIR-wide closure Notam in force, but not being used in practice. With Kuwait airspace closed and the wider Gulf system disrupted, there is no viable north-south transit through Iraq at the moment.

Elsewhere, airspace is open but working under pressure:

Saudi Arabia: Open and now a key part of the southern bypass. Traffic is being funnelled onto a reduced set of routes due to military activity. Airlines are using it heavily, but it’s not running at normal capacity – expect flow restrictions and plan extra fuel.

Oman: Also fully open and has become a major staging point and transit FIR for traffic avoiding the Gulf. It’s one of the more stable parts of the region right now, but GNSS interference has been reported, and routing is still influenced by how UAE and Saudi corridors are set up.

Jordan: Open and operating normally. In practice, it’s not a major transit route for Europe-Asia traffic. Most operators continue to route via Egypt and Saudi Arabia, as they did before the conflict.

Israel: Also open, but not in a normal sense. Access is tightly controlled, most flights require prior approval, and traffic levels are still very limited. Some local and approved flights are operating, but most international carriers are still staying away, and there is still the risk of short-notice disruption.

Armenia/Azerbaijan/Afghanistan: Armenia and Azerbaijan have become key parts of the northern bypass, with steady overflight demand. The main issue here is that you then have Afghanistan airspace to deal with – the OAKX/Kabul FIR is open and seeing heavy overflight demand as part of the north routing, but remember it’s Class G with no ATC service available, so you have to follow the published contingency routes.

So for Europe-Asia traffic or Gulf positioning, there are still only two real options – north via the Caucasus then Afghanistan, or south via Egypt then Saudi then Oman:

Recent developments

April 12-13 – Pakistan talks fail, ceasefire uncertain

High-level US-Iran talks in Islamabad ended without agreement. The talks were aimed at stabilising a temporary ceasefire announced on April 8, but both sides walked away without a deal. The ceasefire remains in place for now.

April 12 – Threat of Hormuz blockade

Following the collapse of talks, the US has announced plans for a naval blockade of Iranian ports and the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has warned this would be treated as an act of war. This significantly increases the risk of further escalation and sudden airspace closures across the Gulf.

April 9 – EASA CZIB update

EASA has updated its CZIB on Middle East airspace, now valid to April 24. The same advice stands to avoid airspace of Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, UAE, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

There’s one narrow exception: in Oman and Saudi, you can operate south of a line from OBSOT-DANOM-KEDON-VELOD, at FL320 or above only, and only with a current risk assessment.

April 8 – Temporary ceasefire announced

The US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire in an effort to halt escalation and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. This has led to some limited reopening of airspace across the region, but has not restored normal operations.

April – Regional strikes continue

Despite ceasefire efforts, military activity continues across the region, including ongoing Israeli strikes in Lebanon. This shows the conflict is not contained to Iran alone, and the wider regional risk picture remains elevated.

April – Operators remain cautious

Even where airspace has reopened, most international operators are still avoiding the region or using only tightly controlled routings. Short-notice closures, missile and drone activity, and general unpredictability are still driving cautious decision-making.

March 30 – Missile intercepted over Turkey

Another Iranian ballistic missile was intercepted over southern Turkey, with debris reported near the Syrian border. Turkish airspace remains open with no operational impact, but the incident again shows how far west some of the missile activity is extending.

March 24-30 – UAE short-notice closures continue

The UAE has continued to briefly close its airspace during new missile and drone threats, reopening shortly afterwards. This reinforces the risk of sudden disruption even when the FIR is technically open.

March 24 – OKKK/Kuwait airport fuel tank hit

A drone strike hit a fuel storage tank at OKKK/Kuwait, causing a fire. No casualties reported, but this is another direct strike on airport infrastructure and highlights the ongoing risk to ATC and fuel systems.

March 20-23 – No improvement, escalation continues

There have been no airspace re-openings since our last update – the overall picture remains unchanged, with Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Syria still closed and Gulf FIRs operating under strict restrictions.

Missile and drone activity across the Gulf has continued, with multiple intercepts reported daily in UAE and Saudi airspace.

There are also growing concerns around the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran threatening restrictions or closure – this raises the risk of further sudden airspace changes across the Gulf FIRs.

No new confirmed strikes on airports since March 18, but attacks on energy infrastructure across UAE, Qatar and Saudi highlight the continued risk.

March 17 – UAE airspace closure

The UAE briefly closed its entire airspace overnight on March 16-17 as an “exceptional precautionary measure” during new missile and drone threats.

It lasted about two hours before reopening, but caused fresh disruption to already limited ops into OMDB/Dubai and OMDW/Al Maktoum.

This comes just one day after the drone strike near OMDB, and shows how quickly the situation can change – even FIRs that are technically open can shut with little or no warning.

March 16 – LLBG/Tel Aviv BizAv ban appears to ease

Earlier this week we reported that BizAv flights were not being approved at LLBG/Tel Aviv, based on guidance from the Israeli CAA and multiple Opsgroup member reports. That restriction did not appear in the Notams at the time.

A local handler at QAS Executive Aviation (pvt@qasisrael.co.il) has now advised that BizAv operators can again apply for PPR approval through the airport ops center. The current Notam still reads: AD CLSD TO ALL FLT, EXC PPR FLT FM AD OPS CENTER and runs until March 23 at 1000z.

Slots remain extremely limited and priority is still being given to emergency and state flights, so approvals may be difficult to obtain. Check with your handler before planning any BizAv ops to LLBG.

March 16 – OMDB/Dubai drone strike halts flights

A drone strike hit a fuel storage tank near OMDB/Dubai, causing a large fire and forcing a temporary suspension of operations. At least 65 flights diverted to airports across the region, including OMDW/Al Maktoum, while others held or turned back as emergency services dealt with the blaze.

March 14 – Drones strike OKKK/Kuwait airport radar

Kuwait authorities reported that multiple drones targeted OKKK/Kuwait airport, damaging part of the airport’s radar system. No casualties were reported, but the incident highlights the potential for ATC capability to be degraded if radar infrastructure is damaged.

March 11 – Opsgroup member reports

OMDW/Al Maktoum turn: One member reported a recent turn at OMDW/Al Maktoum with generally smooth operations despite the regional situation. Arriving from the north, the only operational issue was GPS jamming beginning near Riyadh. The airport itself was quiet and well organised. Departure was delayed by about five minutes due to military activity. The permit process was more involved than usual, requiring a risk assessment before approval as part of the current UAE corridor procedures (see this section below for more info).

OERK/Riyadh rescue flight: Another member operating a Part 121 rescue flight reported smooth ops on a routing Germany-Riyadh-Germany. The permit process and UAE GCAA No Objection Certificate were issued without problems. Ground handling at OERK/Riyadh was efficient, with fuel uplift starting immediately on arrival and a two-hour ground time. The western routing via Saudi-Egypt-Greece worked without issues. They also reported that insurance applied a premium for the trip, and the flight required a Safety Risk Analysis including FAA considerations.

March 9-11 – Gulf missile and drone attacks

Iranian missile and drone attacks continued across the Gulf between March 9 and 11. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar reported intercepting several missiles and drones, while the UAE activated air defences during alerts that briefly caused arrival holding at OMDB/Dubai. Authorities also reported drones falling near Dubai on March 11, injuring several people, though airport operations continued. No airport strikes or new airspace closures have been reported so far.

March 7 – OMDB/Dubai drone incident

OMDB/Dubai Airport briefly suspended operations on March 7 after a drone struck near Terminal 3, causing minor damage and smoke near the terminal area. Flights were halted while authorities checked the airport and several arrivals aborted or held. Operations resumed later the same day, though delays continued across the airport.

March 7 – OTHH/Doha limited reopening

Qatar has begun a very limited reopening after closing its airspace at the start of the missile and drone attacks. A small number of evacuation and cargo flights are now operating with specific approvals, but this is not a full reopening – regular passenger services remain suspended and capacity remains very limited.

March 6 – Israel

Ops at LLBG/Tel Aviv were briefly disrupted when an El Al repatriation flight had to abort its landing after missile sirens sounded across central Israel during an Iranian attack wave. The aircraft entered a holding pattern before returning for a second approach once the alert was lifted.

March 6 – OOMS/Muscat “scheduled flights only” Notam

Some media reports say Muscat is restricting BizAv flights due to congestion from evacuation traffic. A Notam appears to support this: OOMS airport accepts scheduled flights only, all diversion flights subject to prior approval. However, a local handler at Jetex OOMS has advised that normal BizAv operations are continuing, and operators should not expect any practical impact from this Notam for now. Contact them at: fbo-mct@jetex.com for more info.

March 6 – UAE airports operating limited flights

Airlines have started operating more flights from UAE airports using the restricted corridor system, though capacity remains well below normal levels.

A local handler has advised that to use the current repatriation corridors into UAE airports, you must first obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the GCAA Foreign Operators Affairs Department (FOA). Operators reportedly submit a short risk assessment to foa@gcaa.gov.ae, after which a NOC is issued. This must then be provided to your handler for the landing permit request. Response times are typically less than 60 mins, and a single NOC can cover multiple flights for the same aircraft during the recovery period. You can find an example of a completed risk assessment here.

March 6 – Oman becoming a staging point

Flightradar24 are reporting that OOMM/Muscat is becoming a staging point for evacuation and repositioning flights. Airline and private aircraft have been using the airport to position for repatriation flights, as it sits just outside the most restricted Gulf airspace while still providing access to the southern bypass route via Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

March 5 – Azerbaijan drone strike

Iranian drones crossed the Iran-Azerbaijan border early on March 5 and one struck the terminal building at UBBN/Nakhchivan airport. Damage appears limited to the terminal area with no confirmed runway impact. This is the first time the current Iran conflict has spilled into the Caucasus, close to the Armenia-Azerbaijan overflight corridor used by traffic avoiding the Middle East airspace closures. No impact has been reported to UBBB/Baku airport or the main overflight flows.

March 4 – Missile interception over Turkey

On March 4, a ballistic missile launched from Iran travelled west and was intercepted over southern Turkey by NATO air defence systems. Debris was reported to have fallen in the Hatay region near the Syrian border. Turkish airspace remains open and there has been no operational impact reported so far, but the incident highlights how far west some of the missile activity associated with the conflict is now extending.

March 3 – Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Iranian drones struck the US Embassy area during overnight attacks on Saudi Arabia. Damage was reported in the area, though Saudi air defences intercepted several other drones targeting the city.

March 1-2 – Cyprus

A drone strike caused minor damage at RAF Akrotiri, a major UK airbase used for regional military operations. Nearby LCPH/Paphos airport was briefly evacuated after radar detected a potential aerial threat approaching the island.

Since Feb 28 – Israel and Iran

US and Israeli strikes on Iranian military targets triggered ongoing Iranian missile and drone retaliation across Israel and several Gulf states. Multiple waves of attacks have targeted military bases and infrastructure across the region, leading to widespread airspace closures and disruption to normal Middle East flight routes.

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If you have operated in the region in the past couple of weeks and could share your experience, send us an anonymous Airport Spy report or email us at team@ops.group.

More on the topic:

• More: Crisis in Iran: Elevated Airspace Risk
• More: EASA Removes CZIBs: Middle East Risk Gets Harder to Read
• More: 2025 Update: BizAv Ops to Israel
• More: Why EASA has Withdrawn Airspace Warnings for Iran and Israel
• More: Dodging Danger: The Three Routes Through the Middle East

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